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Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm
Fisher’s narrative paradigm is a rhetorical theory that aids in determining the believability of these accounts by looking at the character of and values held by each narrator. A good, credible story, according to Fisher, is one with narrative rationality, which is determined by the coherence and fidelity of the characters and narrators (88). Coherence is defined as the believability of characters as actors and as narrators and the degree to which the story does not contradict itself. Fidelity or truth qualities are how well a narrative accords with the logic of good reasons as determined by the soundness of its reasoning and the value, or worth, of its values. Good reason, Fisher argues, is something every human being can notice naturally; they are “those elements that provide warrants for accepting or adhering to advice fostered by any form of communication that could be considered rhetorical” (57).
The logic of good reason deals with the values presented by an argument and asks the audience to make decisions about the “good reasons” presented in a story. Good reasons are highly subjective and depend on an individual’s history, culture, and life experience, as well as the specific context of each story. The subjectivity of this is one of the major criticisms of Fisher’s paradigm, but Fisher argues that people will evaluate stories based on their own values and internal concepts of good reasons. Fidelity and Coherence are concepts that embody the logic of good reason. The narrative paradigm will be used to evaluate the accounts given on Mangas Coloradas’s death by various Apaches, military personnel, and miners.