The log below gathers evidence for proving that Victor is an unreliable narrator.  It incorporates evidence for various criteria to build a more complete case against Victor's reliability.  To make this assignment more complicated (if needed), you could require that all the evidence must also prove that Victor is not reliable about the main idea he wants us to believe--mainly that he is "normal" and capable.

 

(Un)reliable Narrator Unit

Reading Log                                                          Name: __________SAMPLE_____________

 Title of Story: ______"Victor" by Danny Hoch________

Reliability Criteria Codes:

u

v

w

Knowledge & Understanding

Experience

Objective

x

y

z

Thinks for self

In Touch with Reality

No Contradictions

 

Log of Evidence to Support the Narrator’s (Un)reliability

Reliable? Y/N

Quote from Story

Reliability Code

Detailed Explanation

No

"...Nah, I'm not really supposed to talk about it.  My mother don't like me to.  Not like I do everything my mother tells me, but.... Nah....aight."

6

Here, Victor contradicts himself twice.  First, he implies he always listens to his mom, and then says he doesn't.  Also, he says he can't talk about his "accident," but then he does.  Since he keeps changing his mind, I can't trust what he says.

No

"Yeah, but I mean you speak Spanish?  You're Dominican, right? ... But you're Dominican? ...Czechoslovakia?  Damn... I'm kinda off, right?"

1

In this part of the monologue, Victor assumes he knows about the girl's cultural background.  In fact, he practically insists he knows.  However, he's totally wrong and has no clue.  Therefore, I can't trust his knowledge.

No

"You don't think I could dance right?  I could dance."

6 & 5

Victor's physical condition--that he is on "permanent steel crutches"--makes me doubt his ability to dance, especially when he says he can "dance to anything."  It seems like a contradiction, and it also seems like he's in denial about his own abilities.  Therefore, he's unreliable.