Framed Slowness and the Ecological Value of Multiperspectivity

Abstract

Drawing on econarratological insights, this article examines the ecological potential of multiperspective narratives by proposing the concept of “framed slowness,” that is, a slow way of experiencing narrative elicited by the use of framing devices. By examining how framing strategies—such as segmentivity, paratextual framing, coordination of perspectives, and rereading—can decelerate the reading experience, this article challenges the typical association of multiperspective narratives with fast-paced, plot-driven storytelling. Such framing strategies can disrupt teleology and narrative progression, thus directing readers’ attention on the multilayered entanglement of character perspectives. I suggest that “character-driven” examples of multiperspectivity are more conducive to slowness, since the juxtaposition of perspectives is not motivated solely by the dynamics of the plot. In the final section, I turn to Mark Z. Danielewski’s Only Revolutions as an experimental multiperspective novel employing the four framing strategies for slowness I discuss throughout the article. Through the adoption of a complex interplay of material and internal framing strategies, Only Revolutions offers insights into the entanglement of a human love story and planetary, more-than-human temporalities. This framing of slowness positions multiperspectivity as a crucial narrative strategy vis-à-vis ecological issues.