Point of ViewPoint of Viewand the Narratorand the Narrator

From where is the story being From where is the story being told?told?• External narrator (External narrator (BeowulfBeowulf): ):

1.1. Aware of the storyAware of the story2.2. Outside the storyOutside the story3.3. May be biased or reliableMay be biased or reliable4.4. Usually knows more than the readerUsually knows more than the reader

• Internal narrator (Internal narrator (GrendelGrendel):):1.1. Character inside the storyCharacter inside the story2.2. Often biasedOften biased3.3. May or may not know more than the May or may not know more than the

readerreader

How would the story change as How would the story change as told by….told by….

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Types of NarrationTypes of Narration• First-person narrator:First-person narrator:

““I never should have thrown the marker I never should have thrown the marker at Miss Wilkinson.”at Miss Wilkinson.”

• Third-person omniscient narrator:Third-person omniscient narrator:““Miss W. was furious and the students Miss W. was furious and the students were anxious. Too late, David were anxious. Too late, David remembered his mother’s warning: never remembered his mother’s warning: never get caught.”get caught.”

• Third-person limited narrator:Third-person limited narrator:““He slumped in his chair and scowled.”He slumped in his chair and scowled.”

How does the perspective How does the perspective impact the story?impact the story?• Who is the narrator? Who is the narrator? • What is the narrator’s goal?What is the narrator’s goal?• What is the tone (attitude toward the What is the tone (attitude toward the

story)?story)?• What is the bias (narrator’s attitude What is the bias (narrator’s attitude

toward the characters)?toward the characters)?

How does the perspective How does the perspective impact the story?impact the story?• Direct characterization: the author tells the Direct characterization: the author tells the

reader about a character’s personality:reader about a character’s personality:““David is a studious boy who never causes David is a studious boy who never causes trouble.”trouble.”

• Indirect characterization: a character’s Indirect characterization: a character’s personality is revealed throughpersonality is revealed through

1.1. Physical descriptionPhysical description 2. Thoughts2. Thoughts3.3. WordsWords 4. Actions4. Actions5.5. Other character’s thoughtsOther character’s thoughts““However, his eyes sometimes betray a dark glintHowever, his eyes sometimes betray a dark glintthat occasionally unnerves other students.”that occasionally unnerves other students.”

In other words, how does In other words, how does what we see and how we what we see and how we see it impact the thing see it impact the thing

itself?itself?

Point of View: TermsPoint of View: Terms

Frame story—a story within a storyFrame story—a story within a story Bias—a judgment based more on emotion Bias—a judgment based more on emotion

than on factthan on fact Stereotype—oversimplified concept; Stereotype—oversimplified concept;

assigning generalized traits of a group to an assigning generalized traits of a group to an individualindividual