The value of this type of narrator is that you, the reader, can experience the protagonist from the viewpoint of the someone else who’s experiencing a parallel experience within the same story. Otherwise, it’s conjecture and assumption. This type of narrator will not know what the protagonist is thinking, unless the protagonist chooses to share his thoughts. He or she may recall events that happened to the protagonist, but there are things about the protagonist that this type of narrator will not know. SalingerĪnother Major or Minor Character - This narrator acts as a character within the story but is not the protagonist of the story. The reader is either inside of the protagonist’s head and privy to his thoughts, or the protagonist relays the story in letters, journal entries, or through conversational devices.Įxample: The Catcher in the Rye, by J. He or she is who the entire story is about. The Protagonist - This is the main character.

There are several types of first person narrators: The disadvantage is that the author is limited to writing from one perspective. The advantage of first person is that you can immediately connect with the reader. In this point of view, the readers experience the world vicariously through the narrator. When the narrator uses the pronouns I, me, myself, or mine to relate a story, you are dealing with a first person point of view. The Different Points of View First Person Let’s dissect the different points of view. The point of view that you use to tell a story can influence how a reader feels about the characters or the lessons to learn within a story. There are many more ways that the story of Rapunzel could be told. What is the moral of the story? Does this observer know about everyone’s emotions and motivations or just Rapunzel’s? Write it from the perspective of an impartial observer.What does he see, believe, and struggle with? Write it from the perspective of the Prince who falls in love with Rapunzel.Was she evil or was she really just misunderstood? Write it from the perspective of the evil witch Dame Gothel.

What is she thinking, feeling, longing for, and experiencing? Write it from Rapunzel’s perspective, either in her voice or limited to what she knows.For example, if you wanted to re-write the story of Rapunzel, you could choose several angles. It is the angle that the story is viewed through. Point of view can be used to express the feelings, thoughts, motivations, and experiences of one or many. The point of view an author chooses can determine how the reader understands and participates in the story. Point of view is an important literary device for exploring a story. The reader may experience this world directly through the inner thoughts of a character or distantly from the perspective of an objective observer. A point of view is the perspective an author uses to give a glimpse into the world he’s created.

Omniscient narrator point of view