The unreliable narrator in literature complicates the story, and the way a text is physically presented—with regard to fonts, images, and page layout, for example—influences how dependable a reader believes a narrative to be.

Visual dissonance is produced when illustrations defy the narrator’s descriptions, leading viewers to wonder about the narrator’s point of view. For instance, the narrator may describe a scenario as ‘serene’ when it is actually chaotic, which could imply deceit or bias. Further, fonts may indicate unsteadiness. Distressed or handwritten fonts tend to convey an erratic or unstable state of mind, raising questions about the narrator’s reliability. Perception is also influenced by page layout since unstructured layouts or haphazard text reflect disorganized thinking, encouraging readers to question the reliability of the narrator.

Examples of this in literature are widespread: The narrators’ unstable character is reflected in Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, whose erratic font and unconventional layouts drive readers to doubt their authenticity.

Thus, by using these graphic components, writers are known to gently nudge their readers towards doubting a narrator’s reliability, giving the story more nuance and depth as a whole.