Stream of Consciousness
Stream of Consciousness Writing
By Leslie Hernandez
Stream of Consciousness is a writing technique where the author attempts to replicate the natural flow of a character’s thoughts by employing sensory details, incomplete ideas, strange syntax, and odd grammar. This term was originally coined by psychologists, though it was later picked up by literary critics who began to use it to define a narrative style that depicts characters’ inner workings.
This type of writing is closely associated with the 20th-century Modernist movement, which emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and the subjective experience. The point of the technique is to allow the reader to see a character’s thoughts, which can often come off as an abstract jumble of words. Leaning on the experimentation with syntax and grammar, Stream of Consciousness writing is used to express the character as loyally to their personality as possible.
The use of Stream of Consciousness can emphasize certain character traits and behaviors solely through sentence structure. Not using the traditional rules of grammar and syntax reflects unfinished thoughts, or a change in the character’s train of thought. Using run-on sentences also reflects the seemingly endless flow of thoughts within the human brain. Stream of Consciousness writing also utilizes associative thought. This approach allows writers to move between ideas through loose connections rooted in a character's personal experiences and memories to authentically capture the flow of human thought and surpass the clarity and logic of traditional sequential ideas. Another device utilized within this technique is repetition. An author may use repetition to signal that a character is continually revisiting or fixating on a particular thought or sensory experience. Recurring words and phrases serve as markers, guiding readers towards important themes and motifs in the text.
When it comes to portraying the internal workings of another human being, the traditional method of writing narrative can be too rigid and linear, leaving the creative little space to experiment and present their characters in a more in-depth manner. The non-linear structure of Stream of Consciousness writing permits a writer to present their characters’ thoughts in a way that is emblematic of those characters. Stream of Consciousness allows writers to not only depict a character's thoughts but also emulate the process of thinking. This approach also enables readers to immerse themselves deeper in the character's mind and world, making it tactful and beneficial to authors of all kinds.
