Introduction: Differential Narratology

The introduction establishes what Askin calls differential narratology, that is, both a new theory of narrative and its concomitant method of inquiry into (forms of) narrative. Highlighting narratology’s thoroughgoing anthropocentric, epistemological and experiential bias, the introduction shows how these fundamentals of narrative theory, which ultimately can be traced back to Immanuel Kant’s critical philosophy and are acutely on display in today’s paradigm of cognitive narratology, are inadequate for properly capturing narratology’s object of study. In order to mend narratology’s Kantian shortcomings, the introduction proposes an explicitly speculative and metaphysical conception of narrativity. To achieve this end, the introduction turns to Deleuze’s philosophy of difference, which has the triple advantage of formulating 1) a systematic and consistent metaphysics that 2) is contemporary enough and 3) is based on an explicit critique of the Kantian system. Elaborating on this Deleuzian fundament the introduction formulates a concept of narrative as differential, immanent and univocal with actual narratives being constituted by singular sensations—affects and percepts—, the populace of Deleuze’s realm of the virtual. The introduction closes by showcasing the adequacy of its newly established metaphysical concept of narrative in two short readings of contemporary narratives.