1. What Do You Need to Know About Narrator and Voice?
Feature Menu
Narrator
Omniscient Narrator
First-Person Narrator
Unreliable Narrator
Third-Person-Limited Narrator
Your Turn
Tone and Voice
Tone
Voice

2. Narrator
When you read a story, the narrator—or storyteller—controls everything you know about the characters and events.

3. Narrator
A writer’s choice of a narrator determines the point of view of the story—the perspective from which the story is told.
Three main types of narrators—or points of view—are
omniscient,
first-person, and
third-person limited.

4. Narrator: Omniscient Narrator
When the omniscient point of view is used, the narrator
is not a character in the story,
almost never refers to himself or herself directly,
knows all, and
can tell us what every character thinks and feels.

5. Narrator: Omniscient Narrator
Quick Check
How can you tell this is an omniscient narrator?
One day, a young woman looked out her apartment window and saw a man playing a saxophone. “Cool,” she thought as she swayed to his tune. A big brown dog joined the man and howled along with the music.
Then a man in pajamas yelled from another window, complaining that the noise woke him up and he was going to call the police. This man, who worked the night shift and had to sleep all day, liked cats better than dogs anyway. The young saxophonist left.

6. Narrator: Omniscient Narrator
Quick Check
How can you tell this is an omniscient narrator?
One day, a young woman looked out her apartment window and saw a man playing a saxophone. “Cool,” she thought as she swayed to his tune. A big brown dog joined the man and howled along with the music.
Then a man in pajamas yelled from another window, complaining that the noise woke him up and he was going to call the police. This man, who worked the night shift and had to sleep all day, liked cats better than dogs anyway. The young saxophonist left.
The narrator isn’t a character in the story. The narrator knows what multiple characters are doing, thinking, and feeling.

7. Narrator: First-Person Narrator
A first-person narrator
is a character in the story,
talks to us using first-person pronouns, such as I and me, and
reveals only what he or she thinks and experiences.
Because the writer has adopted a personality and is not the speaker, a first-person narrator is sometimes called a persona.

8. Narrator: First-Person Narrator
Quick Check
When I went to bed that night, I had no idea what the morning would bring. I only knew the knot in my stomach as I tossed and turned. Though I was sure that Nana’s surgery would go well, doubts tormented me.
The next morning, I tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen and saw the relief on my father’s face. I heaved a huge sigh of relief, and the muscles in my face relaxed.
How can you tell this is a first-person narrator?

9. Narrator: First-Person Narrator
Quick Check
When I went to bed that night, I had no idea what the morning would bring. I only knew the knot in my stomach as I tossed and turned. Though I was sure that Nana’s surgery would go well, doubts tormented me.
The next morning, I tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen and saw the relief on my father’s face. I heaved a huge sigh of relief, and the muscles in my face relaxed.
How can you tell this is a first-person narrator?
The narrator is a character in the story and uses first-person pronouns.
Also, we know only what the narrator thinks and feels.

10. Narrator: Unreliable Narrator
An unreliable narrator is biased about or ignorant of what has actually occurred.
Always question whether a first-person narrator is credible, or can be trusted.

11. Narrator: Third-Person-Limited Narrator
In the third-person-limited point of view, the narrator
focuses on one character’s thoughts and reactions,
uses third-person pronouns when talking about that character,
limits what we know about other characters, and
plays no part in the story.

12. Narrator: Third-Person-Limited Narrator
Quick Check
At seven o’clock, they sat down to dinner. Frederick took his seat at the head of the table, proud host of their first dinner party. Looking across the dining table, however, he noticed that someone was missing. Where was Suzanne?
Embarrassed, Frederick excused himself and left his guests to serve themselves.
Where had Suzanne gone?
How can you tell this is a third-person-limited point of view?

13. Narrator: Third-Person-Limited Narrator
Quick Check
At seven o’clock, they sat down to dinner. Frederick took his seat at the head of the table, proud host of their first dinner party. Looking across the dining table, however, he noticed that someone was missing. Where was Suzanne?
Embarrassed, Frederick excused himself and left his guests to serve themselves.
Where had Suzanne gone?
How can you tell this is a third-person-limited point of view?
The narrator uses third-person pronouns, focuses on only one character’s thoughts and actions, and limits what we know.

14. Tone and Voice
At some point, you may have been told to watch your tone of voice.
Your tone—your attitude—affects your voice, or how you sound to other people.
Writers use tone and voice to show attitude and to make their writing distinctive.

15. Tone and Voice: Tone
A story’s tone—the attitude its speaker takes toward a subject, character, or audience—can be
loving
humorous
serious
What other tones might a speaker or writer take?

16. Tone and Voice: Tone
In the following passage, notice how individual words and phrases contribute to the tone.
Sonia lifted the puppy to her chest and stroked his soft fur. Stretched out, the puppy was almost as big as she was. Nuzzling her face in the puppy’s neck, Sonia whispered gently, “It’s okay.” The puppy shook in the presence of the newcomers, but he softened now in Sonia’s arms.
Sonia lifted the puppy to her chest and stroked his soft fur. Stretched out, the puppy was almost as big as she was. Nuzzling her face in the puppy’s neck, Sonia whispered gently, “It’s okay.” The puppy shook in the presence of the newcomers, but it softened now in Sonia’s arms.
How would you describe the tone?

17. Tone and Voice: Voice
A writer’s voice is his or her unique use of language and overall style.
Just as you can identify your friend’s voice on the phone, you can often identify a writer from a work’s voice.

18. Tone and Voice: Voice
Narrators are sometimes described as having a voice created by their
manner of speaking,
word choice, and
tone.
A narrator’s voice can affect our view of characters and events, and shape the story’s tone.

19. Tone and Voice: Voice Quick Check
How does the narrator sound as she argues with her sister?
Which words contribute to your impression?
“What do you think you’re doing?” I shouted. “Put it down—or else!”
“You’re not wearing it,” Kayla muttered. “You never wear it. Why can’t I?”
“Because it’s mine!”
“You’re so selfish,” Kayla muttered, jamming the shirt back onto a hanger. She slammed the closet door.
“Get out of my room,” I told her. I’d just about had it with my younger sister. She was always stealing my very favorite clothes.

20. Tone and Voice: Voice Quick Check
How does the narrator sound as she argues with her sister?
Which words contribute to your impression?
“What do you think you’re doing?” I shouted. “Put it down—or else!”
“You’re not wearing it,” Kayla muttered. “You never wear it. Why can’t I?”
“Because it’s mine!”
“You’re so selfish,” Kayla muttered, jamming the shirt back onto a hanger. She slammed the closet door.
“Get out of my room,” I told her. I’d just about had it with my younger sister. She was always stealing my very favorite clothes.
She sounds angry and immature.
The words in red contribute to her voice and tone.

21. Analyze Point of View
Your Turn
Pair up with a classmate and choose a favorite fairytale, such as “Cinderella.” Then, take turns telling parts of the story
as a first-person narrator
as an unreliable narrator
as a third-person-limited narrator
as an omniscient narrator
With each retelling, discuss how the change in point of view affects your experience of the story.