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 re-
telling 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."