Author Intrusion

by Adam Huddleston

This week’s literary term is: author intrusion. Another similar phrase you may have heard is: breaking the fourth wall. It is a device where the author/narrator speaks directly to the reader/audience. This can be used to give the reader extra information that might be difficult or time-consuming to acquire. For example, in a stage-play, a character may step aside and speak to the viewers about what other characters in the story are thinking or doing.