Epistolary form
A literary form in which the narrative is conveyed through letters, diary entries, emails, or other written documents rather than traditional prose narration. Epistolary form creates immediacy, intimacy, and the illusion of authentic documents.
Real World
Alice Walker's The Color Purple is told entirely through Celie's letters to God and later to her sister Nettie, letting readers hear her voice develop from near-silence to confident self-expression across decades.
Exam Focus
Examine what the letter-writer chooses to include or omit — examiners reward analysis of unreliable narration within epistolary texts.
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