Literary Techniques In William Goldman's The Princess Bride

When most people sit down to read a fantasy book they expect their mind to escape into a different world full of magic and adventure. In The Princess Bride by William Goldman, this expectation is eventually met, but first broken as instead of diving straight into the tale the author becomes the protagonist. He relates the story of how he came to love this book supposedly by Morgenstern, and how that drove him to abridge it latter in his life. This uncommon literary device is used to express things that the author otherwise would be unable to express, as well as surprising the reader and drawing them in by its unexpected nature. Goldman’s style of writing himself into his story while also telling the actual narrative is creative and adds a satirical element that many stories don’t enjoy.

One of the things this writing tool provides is a light tone and a great freedom to tease that would otherwise feel out of place. The story feels like a tale being told instead of a regular novel. Instead of being restricted by the bonds of the fourth wall the author's voice is able to come through, speaking directly to his audience. Goldman amuses his readers by poking fun at a story he wrote while at the same time excusing himself by denying that it was actually him that wrote the tale. He both criticizes

and complements Morgenstern’s work, which is actually his own. Goldman uses Morgenstern and his characterization of himself to contradict and tease himself and also tease other authors and commonly accepted ideas.
Another thing this double narrative accomplishes is giving the readers a higher sense of connection to the author. When reading the introduction and other parts following Goldman and his thinking the readers begin to put themselves in Goldman’s shoes and attempt to see through his eyes. It also allows the Goldman to go outside of the story and give the readers at least a small idea of his attitude towards life and his feelings as a writer. Other writers share this sort of information about themselves within their books, however Goldman creatively spun it into the actual story. This not only allows the reader to get to know the author better, but also shows how much a part of the story Goldman is, and how much the story was a part of him.
In addition, Goldman frees himself to send messages to the readers in a less subtle way than most authors, yet his words are accepted by readers because they simply become another part of the story. In mixing in some truth within his story, Goldman is able to help the readers relate the messages of the story more easily to their own life while still finding pleasure in the fantastic.
It is also significant that he seems to send a message of the importance of reading, which he supports through the drawing story of The Princess Bride, and then also gives a message of how important writing can be, which he supports by his story about him abridging Morgenstern.

He gives the readers a fun story with satire strung throughout calculated to cause laughter, but then also gives readers a look at the enjoyment of creating such a story, and the effects it can have on audiences. He expounds more upon this when describing the making of the film, how accomplished he felt, how much fun he had working with the other people, and the thrill of seeing people enjoy his

work.
Therefore, while an unconventional way to write, the double narrative is accepted well by readers and overall adds to the enjoyment of the book. It is amusing in many ways. The commentary is ridiculous and also brings with it an expansion to the story itself. It is beneficial for those who read it simply for fun and for those who like to analyze deeper all that they read. It improves the reader’s connection to the book as they are able to get to know the author as well as feel they took part in the making of the book. Ideas are expressed subtlely and bluntly, and either way reach the audience. It makes the book not only more enjoyable, but the significance of the work put into the story is emphasized through the telling of its creation. While many of the things Goldman tells are not true, they do give a sense of the story overlapping into the real world, an idea that is thrilling and inspiring.