Narrative perspective is the point of view a story is told from. A first-person narrator (I) lets us share their thoughts but may not know everything. A third-person narrator (he, she, they) can be limited to one character or all-knowing (omniscient).
Perspective shapes what we learn and when. In a flood story told by Kemal, we experience the confusion with him: memories come “in pieces, like scenes from a film seen through steamed glass”.
Track how characters change from the beginning to the end. A confident father who says “Rivers always do” admits “I should have listened” on the roof: the change reveals the story's ideas about humility.
Worked example
Why might a writer tell a story in the first person?
- First person gives direct access to a character's thoughts.
- Readers feel closer to the character's experience.
Answer:To make readers share the character's feelings and limited view of events.
Key words
- perspective
- the point of view a story is told from
- first person
- narration using I
- omniscient
- all-knowing
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: RL.8.3, RL.8.6