The Importance of Narrative

For some reason, reading parts 1 and 2 of Kebra Negast reminded me of the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ series I used to love when I was growing up. I believe the reason for this is the way in which the writers of this text seem to choose which direction they were going to take the story- as based on the solidified previous publication of the Bible. They deviated from the set structure when it was appropriately vague enough to fill in their own detail, while always returning to the basic storyline. This separation and reunion gives the entire work an air of legitimacy and authority- the connection to a text already accepted and allocated authority automatically puts this new text within the same realm and with the potential to have the same status. This method is the most logical way to present new information, as molded to the needs of the writers.

This system most accurately fits the narrative storytelling as seen in the readings. The narrative voice gives the recording of events an air of a legitimate sequence of occurrences as vouched for by the personal author, who is in direct appeal to the readers. This is not a message as relayed through time and storytellers, but a straight and undeviating narrative voice that severs the margin for disbelief and contradictions (it is hard to find contradictions when the whole story is told by the same author with a singular point of view).

If I were to try and make up a story to fit my specific agenda, taking a widespread and popular text and expanding upon its vaguer points would be the most intelligent means toward accomplishing this goal. The narrative voice then compliments this mission perfectly.