Harold Crick In Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger Than Fiction revolves around Harold Crick and his life as a character. Harold Crick lives his life off a precise time and starts to change when he hears the narrator’s voice inside of his head. Karen Eiffel, the author of Harold’s life, writes about death in her novels. Karen starts to point out the use of Harold’s wristwatch and routine habits. The wristwatch dictates Harold’s character development by his habit of living off the time. Harold becomes aware of his life as the narrator gives a literary meaning to his actions. “Harold Crick was a man of infinite numbers, endless calculations and remarkably few words.” The beginning introduces Harold’s monotonous lifestyle. The introduction of Harold’s simple personality and lifestyle hints that the story will center on the character’s growth. He counted his steps, his toothbrush strokes, and lived off his wristwatches timing. When he arrives to his job, the background colors are white and gray. The bland colors reflect on his repetitive habits, such as taking “45 minute lunch breaks.” Harold Crick’s dependency on his wristwatch in his work life and free time show his
inability to change his habits. The narrator mentions he has lived a life of “solitude” as a result of his behavior. When Harold hears the narrators voice in his head, he becomes aware of his thoughts and actions.
For the first time in years, a person is dictating his life rather than his watch. The narrator points out “Harold never assumed that his wristwatch might be telling him something.” Shortly after, the wristwatches functions break down as Ana Pascal walks across the street. Instead of numbers dictating his life, the wristwatch turns its attention to Ana. The event predicts Harold’s relationship with Ana. Harold resets his watch as an instinct, which leads to offsets his timing. Karen Eiffel hints, “Little did he know this simple act would lead to his imminent death.” Harold’s act of resetting his wristwatch sets him up for his fate of death the author writes out for him. The realization forces Harold to socialize and find reason to his
death. Professor Jules suggests Harold does “nothing” to avoid his death. Harold, motionless, is only surrounded by sounds in an attempt to avoid a tragedy. The wristwatch starts to beep and warn that a crane is coming through his apartment. The crane crashing through his apartment shows his inability to avoid fate. The crash leads Harold to live with a coworker and eat with a person. The wristwatch shows changes in Harold life where he is forced to adjust from difficult situations. Towards the end, Harold’s watch glows a bright blue as he looks outside his broken apartment. The narrator reveals, “His watch had been set three minutes later to which it had been previously set.” The shift in time explains the drastic changes in Harold’s life. The shift in time leads to the climax, where he saves a child on his bike from getting run over. Harold ends up hospitalized and the doctor reveals the shard of watch inside him that saved his life. The wristwatch gradually changes Harold’s personality in addition to his life. He started a love life, became social, and took time to invest in his interests. The drastic changes in Harold’s life traces back to the narrator’s voice and his wristwatch. He started from a simple-minded character to a man who lives a fulfilling love life. Instead of obsessing over numbers, he starts to realize the meaning of life is more than a routine. The change in time implies that slight changes from your routines can be life changing.