How Does Nancy Drew Use Heterodiegetic Narrative In Detective Fiction?

Thesis

My examination of the narrative structure of Nancy Drew novels reveals how heterodiegetic narrators can subvert masculine power structures in detective fiction, allowing for the reclamation of agency and linguistic power by female detectives. Through an analysis of how the heterodiegetic narrator aligns with and against the titular character, this project will argue that using heterodiegetic narration in detective fiction can serve as a tool for feminist intervention and subversion of patriarchal language practices. By examining how Nancy Drew's linguistic power increases as she solves mysteries, this project will demonstrate how detective fiction can offer a space for resistance against masculine authority over language.

Analysis

As

For example, upon solving the mystery, Nancy reveals to the Matthews brothers, “‘I have good news,’ she said, her eyes dancing. ‘Mrs. Topham lost her case. The will Dad and I found has been accepted for probate. You will receive the inheritance Mr. Crowley left you!’” (175). In this quote, Nancy is the bearer of the good news. Although she credits the finding of the will to both her father and herself, she incorporates herself as an equally equipped and intelligent sleuth, unlike the heterodiegetic narrator who frequently reminds the audience of the father/daughter power dynamic. Additionally, there is a description of her eyes, which I argue is not an intrusion of the narrator but focalized through Nancy. Her eyes are “dancing,” full of movement, life, and energy. This is distinct from the initial description of her eyes as “blue.” The initial description marks her with elements of the beauty of the patriarchal (white-dominated) world. The latter, however, describes the lively eyes of an energized and impassioned woman, which the audience can gaze through rather than upon.

Finally, we get real-time access to what she knows when Nancy solves the mystery. In solving the mystery, the masculine power of the novel is subverted. Readers align themselves with Nancy, and the authority

Although the novels are steeped in a masculine power structure, with male authority figures like Carson Drew and the heterodiegetic narrator exerting significant influence over Nancy, her character can reclaim agency and linguistic power through instances of narratological focalization through her perspective. By examining examples from three novels in the series, I have demonstrated how Nancy's linguistic power increases as she solves mysteries and how this serves as a space for resistance against masculine authority over language.

Through this analysis, it becomes clear that heterodiegetic narration can be a tool for feminist intervention in detective fiction, allowing female characters to subvert patriarchal language practices and reclaim agency and linguistic power. Although the Nancy Drew novels were written in a specific period and cultural context, their use of heterodiegetic narration remains relevant today as feminist scholars and writers continue to explore the potential of narrative structure as a tool for resistance and