Narrative Technique of Moll Flanders Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders is the story of eponymous character and her infamous, often illegal, life. The narrative is written in first person, seen through the eyes of an older reminiscent Moll. Moll Flanders is an 'autobiographical' account, which sees Moll Flanders describe her life up until the point of her repentance in Newgate Prison. Defoe is experimenting with the narrative form in this novel by writing an autobiographical confession of a woman. Written from Moll's point of view, it allows the reader to sympathize with Moll and ultimately begin to care about what happens to her. As the events of the narrative are seen through the eyes of Moll there are certain events of Moll's life that remain ambiguous. Moll as the narrator is able to set the tone and pace of the narrative, she can choose to go into great detail about events in her life, or skim over them as she pleases, for example the details of Moll's first marriage are restricted to one page, demonstrating how unimportant the five years of her marriage to Robin were. Defoe's principle of point of view was to commit himself to the fiction of Moll's life, while utilising his imagination to fully convey a seemingly factual account of events. This juxtaposition of styles enabled Defoe to present Moll's point of view. Moll's point of view is expressed throughout and is the only point of view that is prevalent in the novel. According to the preface, the story that Moll relates has only been edited by Defoe. He clearly points out that this is for the sake of decency. According to Defoe, Moll's words were, 'having been written in Language more like one still in Newgate'. By emphasising that this novel is the story of Moll told by Moll, Defoe has defined the point of view of the novel. This definition is important to the reader, as it
immediately informs them that what they are going to read is a true account of Moll's life. The reader is instantly connected to Moll much beyond the action of just reading her story. Instead, the reader is aware that they will be seeing events from an up-close and more personal manner. As a result, the drama of the narrative is dictated by what Moll chooses to exaggerate and what she chooses to ignore or, only briefly comment upon. The tensions between these and the readers' close connection to Moll through the first person point of view drive the narrative. Utilising this narrative technique, Defoe creates a character through which the reader can feel and experience Moll's particular and peculiar perception of the world and compare it to the world as it is. As the novel is allegedly autobiographical, and more so that Moll is apparently telling her story near the end of her life, this combination of narrative techniques creates a double point of view: there are arguably two women in this novel, the younger, crafty, scheming and immoral Moll and the older, reminiscent, repentant, Moll.
Through telling the story from a more mature and experienced position, the 'older' Moll's character and philosophy filter through into her telling of 'younger' Moll's past. The younger Moll essentially still rules the older Moll; her own understanding of life comes from the relating of these experiences. The reader is aligned with the older Moll as the reader's sympathies and understanding of Moll are shaped by her escapades as a younger character. The reader knows redemption is forthcoming as it is stated in the title page, however, the reader begins to sympathise with Moll as she inexplicably descends in to moral ambiguity, crime and prostitution. This almost unconscious double view
point of Moll shapes the novel and the readers understanding of the character.
Moll's, narration of her life takes the form of her awareness of her past through various stages: innocence, dishonesty, guilt and finally redemption. Moll's transition through these stages ultimately hinges upon material gain. She repeatedly emphasises her achievements in gaining material independence and the craft she utilises in achieving such independence. Defoe uses irony in describing Moll's boasting in her ascendance to fame, particularly when Moll boasts of outdoing the infamous Moll Cut Purse. Moll narrates the story of her past in the spirit in which she lived the events and, although she narrates with energy and pleasure, she occasionally expresses regret at some occasional events of youthful inexperience. Hindsight to Moll is merely a way in which she expresses how she would have altered events to have made life better for her. For instance, she confides that had she known then what she now knows from experience, her first affair would have been a different matter:
“... if I had known his thoughts, and how hard he supposed I would be to be gain'd, I might have made my own terms, and if I had not capitulated for an immediate marriage, I might for a maintenance till marriage, and might have had what I would; ...”
Humorously, Moll's sorrow at this event is expressed, with sincerity. However, the fact that she is repenting this affair purely on the basis
that she could have made it of more benefit to herself is heavily and amusingly ironic. Such repentance and musings on her past allow the reader to understand the true nature of Moll's character. The narrative style makes it possible for the reader to truly feel as if they understand Moll. The first person point of view allows for a closer examination of who Moll is and what it is that drives her, even though it is a perspective that is derived from a Moll of more advanced years. There are, however, limitations to Moll's point of view. Moll's obsession upon independence and financial gain prohibits the reader from seeing beyond that point of view. Moll is capable of giving the briefest overview of passing years with, at most, a few words of comment. In her eyes, not much of importance has happened, as with the five years of marriage to Robin. This does not give Moll a rounded character in the eyes of the reader, instead, the reader is left with the impression that there is perhaps more to Moll, yet there is no way of extracting it from the text as Moll's narration allows the reader to see only what she is prepared to reveal. Conversely, small events can be extremely significant to Moll, and she offers pages of narrative to particular details she feels are important, ultimately stories of her attempting to win financial independence. As a result of this episodic, controlled retelling of events, the reader is left with the impression that life according to Moll is a sequence of events she takes pride in relating.
Through a series of episodes, Defoe creates a character driven by the need for material gain. Moll is not a commentator of the situation of the poor in London, and arguably Defoe does little to enforce a criticism of London during his period. Assumptions such as these are left to the individual reader. Defoe's Moll comments upon those things that are
important to her. She does not look at London as a city populated by prostitutes and whores, instead she sees potential escape routes and items to steal in shop windows. Her telling of the story is reliant upon her observations and musings of those things that affect her directly:
Defoe is true to his art, to Moll's point of view. Moll never sees her background with any real perception, although she is aware of some of the reasons for her youthful depravities. Despite the fact that she roams about London, about England and America, she notices very little of eighteenth-century panorama.
It would be incorrect however, to only presume that Moll is purely motivated by the need for and material gain. Although Moll's point of view primarily informs the reader that she is interested in only the procurement of a better life through material wealth, the reader learns that Moll is motivated by envy for what she considers gentlewomen and by her ceaseless forceful nature to dominate her environment and to climb out of situation she was born into. Her descent into a life of crime is driven by her will to create a better life for herself. The irony is obvious; she cannot remove herself from her origins without at first accepting them and then utilising the skills implicit in that lifestyle. Moll's point of view throughout the narrative also forces the reader to question whether or not her repentance should be seen as genuine, or just another attempt by Moll to improve her situation. Given her situation, facing execution, it is entirely probable that she seemed to repent, as she claims, '...a secret suprizing Joy at the Prospect of being a true Penitent, and obtaining the Comfort of a Penitent...'[4] However
this supposed penitence is offset by the lack of contrition after her transportation: perversely Moll, during her transportation to America, does all she can to secure herself a good berth for the voyage, further emphasising her need to be better than the rest. The reader is forced to make their own judgements as to whether or not Moll truly repents. Her tale, thus far, of immorality, cannot be ignored. Moll's point of view here does little to inform the reader of her true nature. Instead, it asks the reader to engage their own feelings on the topic. Moll herself states: "This may be thought inconsistent in it self, and wide from the Business of this Book; Particularly, I reflect that many of those who may be pleas'd and diverted with the Relation of the wild and wicked part of my Story, may not relish this, which is really the best part of my Life, the most Advantageous to myself, and the most instructive to others; such however will I hope allow me the liberty to make my Story compleat."
