1. Narrative Voice Subbie English 2015

2. Narrative Voice  We (the readers) should be aware of who is telling the story and whether the narrator sees things clearly and reliably  Remember that the narrator is a creation of the writer—he/she is manipulating events and providing or withholding information.

3. Point of View  Can have more than one in a single story  Grouped into 2 broad categories  Third person narrator: he, she, they and does not participate in the story  First person narrator: uses I and is either a major or minor character  (second person: uncommon because it can be awkward using you)

4. Point of View Third Person Narrator Omniscient narrator: all knowing (nonparticipant)  Can move from place to place and pass back and forth through time, slipping into and out of characters as no human being could possibly do in real life  Reports the thoughts and feelings of the characters as well as what they say and do  Editorial omniscient: narrator evaluates the character. Ex: Mrs. Rodems is kind to her students.  Neutral omniscient: allows the characters’ actions and thoughts to speak for themselves—why? What is the advantage?  Limited omniscient: restricts the narrator to a single perspective of either a major or minor character—cannot access the inner lives of other characters in the story

5. Point of view First Person Narrator  First person narrator (participant):  reader is restricted to perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of that single character.  Unreliable narrator: interpretations of events is different from the author’s  Naïve narrator: often youthful innocence. They often lack the sophistication to interpret accurately what they see. The reader must go beyond their understanding of events to comprehend the situations described.