Modes of Representing Narrative Discourse: Stream of Consciousness versus Interior Monologue

This paper examines colorful modes of narrative discourse representation, especially stream of consciousness versus interior monologue from a narratological point of view and through some references to Iranian and Western literary works. The problem is that these two modes are employed as though they were the same, but the fact is that they are not. This has made it difficult to make clear cut distinctions among these modes and also to determine the genres of these modern works. This paper puts the modes of narrative discourse on one continuum, ranging from the most obvious presence of the character and the least presence of the narrator (in interior monologue and its kinds) to the other way round. Having juxtaposed various scholar's opinions, this paper sheds light on the etymological and literary aspects of these modes and their very problems and issues.