A narrative technique that presents a character's thoughts and feelings as a continuous, unfiltered flow of mental activity. This style mimics the natural, often chaotic way human consciousness actually works, including fragmented thoughts and free associations.
The term was coined by psychologist William James in 1890 to describe the flow of thoughts in the conscious mind. Writers like Joyce and Woolf adapted this psychological concept into a revolutionary literary technique in the early 20th century.
This technique literally puts readers inside characters' minds, experiencing thought the way it actually happens—messy, jumping between topics, mixing memories with present moments! Joyce's 'Ulysses' contains Molly Bloom's famous 36-page unpunctuated soliloquy that captures eight hours of pre-sleep consciousness.
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