Narrative Techniques: first person narrative/third - SS1 Literature Lesson Note

Narrative techniques

Point of View

Point of view is essentially the eyes through which a story is told. It is the narrative voice through which readers follow the story's plot, meet its characters, discover its setting, and enter into its relationships, emotions, and conflicts. Point of view allows readers to experience the story as it unfolds.

In the first person point of view, one of the story's characters serves as a narrator and readers watch the story unfold through that character's eyes. First person point of view is easy to identify because the character or narrator speaks to

readers in his or her own voice, frequently referring to him/herself using the personal pronoun 'I'.

In the third person point of view, the narrator is someone outside the story, who frequently uses pronouns, like 'he,' 'she,' and 'they,' to describe the characters. The narrator assumes a god-like role and is able to narrate beyond what he can see. He has the ability to reveal the internal thoughts, feelings, and motivations of all the characters.