Narrator and Point of View in Literature
This page provides a comprehensive overview of narrators and point of view in literature, exploring various types and their effects on storytelling.
Definition: A narrator is the person who tells the story and is not identical with the author.
The page outlines two main types of narrators:
- First-person narrator: A character within the story who participates in the action as a witness or observer.
Example: A protagonist-narrator is a first-person narrator who is also the central character of the story.
- Third-person narrator: An external entity not involved in the story, referring to characters as "she," "he," or "they."
The concept of point of view is introduced as the perspective from which the narrator sees and presents things. Various types of narrators are described:
- Selective narrator: Presents events through a specific character's eyes.
- Observer witness-narrator: Often closely aligned with the protagonist.
- Objective narrator: Focuses solely on external actions without revealing characters' inner thoughts or feelings.
- Omniscient narrator: Has complete knowledge of all characters and events, able to enter characters' minds at will.
Highlight: The choice of narrator and point of view significantly impacts the reader's experience and interpretation of the story.
The page also discusses limited and unlimited points of view:
- Limited point of view: Restricts the narrator's perspective, potentially leading to subjective or one-sided descriptions.
- Unlimited point of view: Allows the narrator to see everything, providing readers with comprehensive access to characters' thoughts and feelings.
Vocabulary: Omniscient refers to all-knowing or all-seeing, while selective implies choosing or limiting information.
Each narrative technique has its advantages and disadvantages:
- First-person narration can create strong emotional involvement but may provide limited or unreliable information.
- Third-person omniscient narration offers comprehensive information but may leave less room for reader interpretation.
- Objective narration demands more concentration from readers, encouraging them to draw their own conclusions.
Quote: "The reader can follow the events easily and is emotionally strongly involved and is likely to identify with the first-person narrator."
This detailed exploration of point of view literature and narrative techniques provides valuable insights for analyzing and understanding various storytelling approaches in both prose and point of view poetry.
