The primary goal of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the unreliable narrator as a literary device. Furthermore, I argue that the distance between an author and narrator in realist fiction can be simulated in autobiographical prose. While previous studies have focused mainly on extra- and intertextual incongruities (factual inaccuracies; disparities between two nonfiction texts), the present study attempts to demonstrate that the memoirist can employ unreliable narration intratexually as a rhetorical tool. The paper begins with some examples of how the unreliable narrator is used, interpreted, misused and misinterpreted. The device’s troubled history is examined—Wayne Booth and James Phelan have argued for an encoded strategy on the part of the (implied) author while Tamar Yacobi and Ansgar Nünning have embraced a reader-oriented model—as well as the recent (and in my opinion, inevitable) convergence of the rhetorical and cognitive/constructivist models. Aside from “What is the unreliable narrator,” two questions underlie the present study: 1) Does a fiction writer using homodiegetic narration have an obligation to adhere to formal mimeticism (do we believe it)? 2) Being that unreliable narrators are so prevalent in everyday life, why is the device, in nonfiction, considered almost verboten? Two texts are analyzed for the first question: Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is argued to be a mimetically successful fictive “memoir” penned by a disillusioned, albeit reliable, narrator. Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day is presented as a synthetically flawless example of unreliable narration, but alas, a mimetic failure. Likewise, two texts are analyzed for the second question: Nick Flynn’s Another Bullshit Night in Suck City is viewed through the lens of overt fiction as a means of depicting uncertainty in autobiography. Similarly, Richard’s Wright’s Black Boy, with its overarching themes of survival and deception, is examined for the narrator’s use of “tall tales.” The critical and commercial success of both books suggests that the unreliable narrator does indeed have a place in autobiography—provided that the device is employed in service of a greater truth.

This paper thoroughly examines the production of the thesis film, Turtle Beach. Each area of the film’s production is carefully dissected, including the writing, production design, cinematography, directing, editing, sound, technology, workflow and visual effect. Specific attention has been paid to writing and cinematography, and how they affect editing.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The aim of the thesis is to study personal identity development of the participants who move from active civic engagement within the civil society to active political participation within the political sphere at the reginal level. The thesis focuses on personal identity and the method of its construction through life stories. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with terms such as civic engagement, political participation and concepts based on narative identity. The second part contains a research methodology. Specifically is presented which presents the narrative approach with the use of narrative interview as a research method. The third part is based on deals with the research itself. The research works with a specific case based on political and socio-historical context of the city of Usti nad Labem. The data is obtained in the form of narrative interviews with local policiticians. The results of the research have shown that there are three different ways in which the actors are self- presenting their identity in relation to the environment. It was the identity of the politician, the identity of the activist / active citizen and the identity of the politician joined with the identity of the activist. Personal identity has completely changed in the case of one person, one person has changed...

This diploma thesis deals with the national presentation of the Czech Republic at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai in terms of mythology, symbols, signs and codes. It describes the history of the World Exhibitions, attempts to highlight Czechoslovak achievements and on the basis of that to define key points of successful communication for an international, predominately Chinese audience. By comparing information on traditional Chinese symbols and values with that of Czech explains correlations between Czech and Chinese culture. This can help visitors from China identify with the Czech Republic. A mythological analysis is executed examining the exterior of the Czech pavilion, the exhibition inside, and notes narrative structures of individual exhibits and how they work to provide the preferred interpretation. Part of the overall analysis includes an overview of supporting events, which also help to strengthen the perception of Czech Republic to visitors. The information gleaned is used to summarize learnings that could be useful for the upcoming EXPO in Milan in 2015.

Annotation The theme of this diploma thesis is Czech author fairy-tale from 1989 onwards. The first three chapters deal with general information on author fairy-tale, its reader and its history. In the fourth chapter we reflect on original Czech children's books published after 1989 and attempt to describe the current state and developing trends. We selected several representative fairy-tale books and divided them into three principle types of the contemporary Czech author fairy- tale. The imitative-innovative type is closest to the folklore tradition, the nonsense-parodical type is based on parody or negation of the folk fairy-tale, and the imaginative type is based on symbol, metaphor and allegory. We identified another type of modern fairy-tale and called it the fairy-tale mixed into a real story. It comes out of the nonsense-parodical type and sits on the edge between fairy-tale and real prose. The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe the main trends in contemporary Czech author fairy-tale and to apply them to the selected children's books.

Conspiracy theories are an old-new phenomenon which has gained its importance and specific character over the last three centuries. Unofficially, they have become an alternative tradition of the interpretation of historical events connected with an alternative form of spirituality, known as conspirituality. This manner of the interpretation usually holds the power when the consensually accepted worldview loses its plausibility for the concrete person or group. Conspiracy theories are the verbalization of a certain way of thinking and action which depends on it. Most often, they are manifested in the form of myths. That is understood as one of the dominant structures, commonly connected with traditionally perceived religion. From this point of view and in terms of the function associated with conspiracy narratives, conspiracy theories are examined as functional and structural equivalents of religion. These functions are especially the defense of the order (nomos), differentiation of the outer reality or the explanation of the presence of Evil in the world. In addition, they can also become a medium or tool of social actors in power relations. This thesis represents the complementary overview of the contemporary approaches in the study of religion discourse, which deals with unconventional religiosity...

The thesis deals with gender analysis in films studying metamorphoses of archetypes in film Bitter Moon directed by Roman Polanski. The methodical and theoretical sections of the thesis analyse the influence of archetype changes of film characters in gender roles. The thesis identifies and analyses mainly woman film characters appearing in some classical feminist texts, feminist film theoretical and critical articles, in some psychoanalytical works, in dramatheraphy and film science. The sources mentioned above became primary resource materials for our archetypal research. The analysis of each of the film character is focused on the most distinctive archetype with respect to its metamorphosy. Apart from the archetype research the thesis is marginaly concerned with problems linked to the female ideal and her sexuality usually portrayed in an unalterable way, and archetypal patterns are in such a way transmitted to audiences through femininity and masculinity in the context of gender roles. Keywords: archetype, Roman Polanski, Laura Mulvey, Annis Pratt, cinematic archetypal coherence, feminist film criticism, film narrative analysis, archetypal masculinity, archetypal femininity.

This diploma thesis deals with the national presentation of the Czech Republic at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai in terms of mythology, symbols, signs and codes. It describes the history of the World Exhibitions, attempts to highlight Czechoslovak achievements and on the basis of that to define key points of successful communication for an international, predominately Chinese audience. By comparing information on traditional Chinese symbols and values with that of Czech explains correlations between Czech and Chinese culture. This can help visitors from China identify with the Czech Republic. A mythological analysis is executed examining the exterior of the Czech pavilion, the exhibition inside, and notes narrative structures of individual exhibits and how they work to provide the preferred interpretation. Part of the overall analysis includes an overview of supporting events, which also help to strengthen the perception of Czech Republic to visitors. The information gleaned is used to summarize learnings that could be useful for the upcoming EXPO in Milan in 2015.