Narrative perspective

The narrative perspective of a story is the point of view from which the story is told. There are a number of narrative perspectives that can be used to tell a story, but the most common are first person, third-person limited and third-person omniscient. First-person perspective is when the story is told by one character in that character’s voice. You can recognise a first-person perspective when a character uses the words ‘I’ and ‘we’. Third-person limited perspective is when an external narrator is telling the story from one character’s point of view. The narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of this one character, but doesn’t know the thoughts and feelings of anyone else. Third-person omniscient narrators are all-seeing and all-powerful. This type of narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story. First person

Third-person limited

Third-person omniscient I looked at Grandmother in her big brass bed. She looked different somehow, changed, or aged, or something. Grandmother shifted from side to side in the bed. It looked like she was nervous.

Little Red Riding Hood thought that there was something off about her grandmother today. Her grandmother shifted nervously in the bed. She let out what could only be described as a growl. Little Red Riding Hood blinked in shock.

The wolf licked his lips, salivating at the thought of devouring the little girl. Little Red Riding Hood thought to herself that there was something not entirely right about her grandmother. Meanwhile, the huntsman ran as fast as his legs could carry him, worried that he was far too late. I, Me The narrative perspective affects how believable or reliable you will find a narrator. For example, a story written in the first person from the perspective of a particular character will be less reliable than a story written from the third-person omniscient perspective. A first-person narrator may present themselves in the best possible light and will only tell you their side of the story. They have to infer the thoughts and feelings of other characters, and their viewpoint can be coloured by their attitudes and beliefs. In contrast, a third-person omniscient narrator is able to present the thoughts and feelings of any character, both positive and negative, in order to tell every side of the story. ©The Educational Company of Ireland

READING

Read the extracts below, which are written from a variety of narrative perspectives.

Extract A: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

It’s this detail, the untucked blouse forming a ducktail, that brings me back to myself. ‘Prim!’ The strangled cry comes out of my throat, and my muscles begin to move again. ‘Prim!’ I don’t need to shove through the crowd. The other kids make way immediately allowing me a straight path to the stage. I reach her just as she is about to mount the steps. With one sweep of my arm, I push her behind me. ‘I volunteer!’ I gasp. ‘I volunteer as tribute!’ Extract B: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien A few creatures came and looked at them when the fire had died away. A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stopped several minutes and sniffed. ‘Hobbits!’ he thought. ‘Well, what next? I have heard of strange doings in this land, but I have seldom heard of a Hobbit sleeping out of doors under a tree. Three of them! There’s something mighty queer behind this.’ He was quite right, but he never found out any more about it. Extract C: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon This is a murder mystery novel. Siobhan said that I should write something I would want to read myself. Mostly I read books about science and maths. I do not like proper novels. In proper novels people say things like, ‘I am veined with iron, with silver and with streaks of common mud. I cannot contract into the firm fist which those clench who do not depend on stimulus.’ What does this mean? I do not know. Nor does Father. Nor do Siobhan or Mr Jeavons. I have asked them.©The Educational Company of Ireland

Extract D: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

But Ender knew, even as he thought it, that Peter wouldn’t leave him alone. There was something in Peter’s eyes, when he was in his mad mood, and whenever Ender saw that look, that glint, he knew that the one thing Peter would not do was leave him alone. I’m practicing piano, Ender. Come turn the pages for me. Oh, is the monitor boy too busy to help his brother? Is he too smart? Got to go kill some buggers, astronaut? No, no, I don’t want your help. Extract E: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott While these things were happening at home, Amy was having hard times at Aunt March’s. She felt her exile deeply, and for the first time in her life, realized how much she was beloved and petted at home. Aunt March never petted any one; she did not approve of it, but she meant to be kind, for the well-behaved little girl pleased her very much, and Aunt March had a soft place in her old heart for her nephew’s children, though she didn’t think it proper to confess it. READING 1 Complete the narrative perspective task in your activity book (see page 7). 2 Choose one of the extracts above and rewrite it in a different perspective. Swap your copy with the person next to you and see if they can figure out what perspective you’ve written from. Do you think the change in perspective has made the extract better or worse? Why? 3 Do you think that the narrators in extracts A, B, C and D are reliable? How do you know? Could there be something they are leaving out? 4 Pretend you are a writer about to sit down to write a new story. Create a list of the pros and cons for the three different narrative perspectives. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of writing in each perspective? ACT IVITY COMMUNICATING: GROUP DISCUSSION 1 Can you think of any stories you have read that had a narrative perspective that stood out to you for any reason? 2 Looking at the extracts above, which of these stories would you most like to read and why? 3 Which of these stories would you least like to read and why?©The Educational Company of Ireland