The Narrative Paradigm Presented Through the Bangladesh Genocide

A few decades ago in Bangladesh, genocide occurred by Pakistan which left many killed, as well as many women distraught and emotionally scrambled due to the horrific crime of rape. NBC tells the story of a victim, Sieba, a sixteen year old who was one of the many who were victimized by Bangladesh’s oppressors.

Her story is an example of the Narrative Paradigm, an idea proposed by Walter Fisher. The Narrative Paradigm is the belief that humans are storytellers and their values, emotions, and aesthetic considerations ground our beliefs and behaviors. The assumption that humans are naturally storytellers is shown when we view the video about the dilemma in Sieba’s life. When we hear her story, not by anyone else’s account but hers, we feel for her because her emotions rattle ours, causing us to understand the horrors she has faced and how what has occurred is horrible and intolerable.

It is true that we are more persuaded by a good story rather than a good argument. NBC created a solid image of how life has been for the women living in Bangladesh and the sacrifices they have to make. After the genocides, life changed greatly for the women in the area. They were raped, impregnated with children they did not want, and were looked down upon by their own people, living a life of solitude and despair, all against their will.

After viewing the video, I was persuaded by the story presented and realized that much needs to be done to prevent this from happening in the future. My values were the same as that of those telling the story.

Other assumptions that Fisher presented were that a story’s worth is based on “good reasons,” including history, biography, culture and character. The Bangladesh genocide shows the history of the area, how it impacted the culture, and how the main character, Sieba, presents her character, a tortured soul. Also, the story has truth behind it, testimonies and consistencies throughout, explaining why the genocide happened and what has changed in the lifestyle of those affected by it.

This clip is an example of one of the three types of coherence: characterological coherence. Judging by Sieba’s testimony, the viewer can believe what she is experiencing due to her facial gestures, a solemn and quiet attitude. That and the narrator’s explanation of what she has gone through make her believable. When we hear that Sieba’s parents look after her, but realize that no one will ever marry her, makes us understand that rape has ruined her life, and it was completely against her control.

Lastly, the Narrative Paradigm looks at the key concept of fidelity with the story, or its credibility. Fisher explained that there are sets of values that appeal to the audience, which is the primary method for assessing narrative fidelity. When a viewer sees the video, he is met with a set of values that appeals to him or her, realizing that they feel the same way that these victims do and therefore believe the story and what these people have experienced.