Dreame Writing Guides

Part 18 Choose A Narrative Perspective

I. What Is A Narrative Perspective?

In a novel, the narrative of events always starts from a particular perspective. Regardless of whether it is a real historical event or a fictional event, you need to choose an observation point, that is, you need to choose your perspective. The narrative perspective represents both the narrator and the narrative perspective, from which the readers can learn more about the characters, actions, scenes, and events that make up a novel.

There are many types of narrative perspectives in novels, from the aspect of vision scope to nature, and they can be roughly divided into two categories: Omniscient narrative and limited narrative.

1. Omniscient Narrative

In the omniscient narrative, the narrator takes the place of God. He is ubiquitous and omniscient. He could go deep into the heart of every character in the story, know everything that any character does, thinks, or even reveal things that the characters in the story don't know. He can express his opinions, comment on specific behaviors, or talk directly to the readers. The narrator does not appear directly in the work, but he seems to have an invisible hand and is continually throwing clues that push the story forward. 

Advantages: 

This omniscient perspective is often used in grand narratives because it is convenient to show a wide range of life scenes and social images. Furthermore, it allows the reader to freely analyze the psychology of many or all of the characters.

Disadvantages: 

The authenticity and credibility of this omnipresent perspective are often questioned. In this type of narrative, the omniscient narrator does not appear in the work. Instead, he is hidden behind it. This type of story is always written as a third-person narrative.

For example, in Little Women, Alcott uses omniscient narrative to show us what are the characters look like and how they think and feel. Here is an excerpt from the book, which introduces the March sisters to readers.

Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of soft brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rather vain.

 Fifteen- year-old Jo was very tall, thin, and brown, and reminded one of a colt, for she never seemed to know what to do with her long limbs, which were very much in her way. She had a decided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes, which appeared to see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful. Her long, thick hair was her one beauty, but it was usually bundled into a net, to be out of her way. Round shoulders had Jo, big hands and feet, a flyaway look to her clothes, and the uncomfortable appearance of a girl who was rapidly shooting up into a woman and didn't like it.

Elizabeth, or Beth, as everyone called her, was a rosy, smooth- haired, bright-eyed girl of thirteen, with a shy manner, a timid voice, and a peaceful expression which was seldom disturbed. Her father called her `Little Miss Tranquility', and the name suited her excellently, for she seemed to live in a happy world of her own, only venturing out to meet the few whom she trusted and loved.

Amy, though the youngest, was a most important person, in her own opinion at least. A regular snow maiden, with blue eyes, and yellow hair curling on her shoulders, pale and slender, and always carrying herself like a young lady mindful of her manners. What the characters of the four sisters were we will leave to be found out.

2. Limited Narrative

A limited narrative is related to an omniscient narrative. As a character in the story, though, the narrator is no longer omniscient. This does not change if he is the main character or not. He and other characters live in the same time and space. At the moment, his perspective is personal, and not dissimilar to a personal perspective in real life, and he has no right to go beyond his field of vision. The readers can observe his words and actions, understand his inner emotional activities, observe and experience other aspects of the world through his perspective.

Limited narratives can be either first-person or third-person limited narratives.

1.) First-person limited narrative

The first-person narrator is directly involved in the story. He/she tells the story from his or her point of view. This perspective uses words like I, me, my, and mine. This narrative is limited because the narrator can only tell the readers what he/she has experienced. It is a subjective perspective.

Example: Sleeping With Demon by Augustsam

I glanced at the note and was not impressed by what had been written on it, but the fancy signature...Alan Brown, it caught my eye. I remembered that name...I looked around in a shock, eagerly searching for the familiar figure from my past! After just a few seconds, I found him on the sofa sitting in the corner.

Advantages: 

This perspective gives the narrative credibility and brings unity to the story. It is as if the narrator is sharing their personal experiences and secrets with the readers. This allows the readers to immerse themselves in the story in a way that is unique to this perspective.

Disadvantages:

Because the reader can only see the world through the protagonist's eyes, they are never able to fully understand the motives of other characters, their struggles, desires, or thought processes.

Note: The first-person narrative must reveal the characteristics of the narrator. The narrator must be a person who is willing to tell a story, and his motivation and attitude must be reflected in the story. 

If you can't figure out how to make that work, then you have three options:

a. Acknowledge that the first-person does not play a role in this story, and use a third-person narrative.

b. Create a first-person character and shape his/her voice by discovering his/her attitude, motivation, and expectations.

c. Try to use other characters as the first-person narrator until you find someone you think fits.

2.) Third-person limited narrative

In a limited third-person narrative, events are revealed to the readers through the limited perspective of the characters. The readers observe and analyze everything through the eyes and brain of the third-person character, and, gradually, they come to understand what happened.

From this perspective, the storyteller is not directly involved in the story. The readers only understand the protagonist's feelings and thoughts, which is why this narrative is called "limited".

Example: Resisting My Billionaire Husband by Bella

She doesn’t feel the least bit guilty that she threw up on Lance. Instead, she’s amused; the look on his face was priceless. She returns to her room after ordering the maid back into Lance’s room. As she walks to her room, she reflects on her marriage. Lance hadn’t touched her once in the three years they’d been together. He hadn’t even allowed her to sleep in his bed. She’s sure that last night was an accident.

Advantages: 

a. This narrative method provides readers with a multi-layered vision. Readers can observe the character's words and deeds through the eyes of the narrator and can experience other plots through his or her feelings. Done correctly, this should create an experience that resonates with readers.

b. The way an event is perceived can change from one character to the next. Readers can get a good picture of the origin of any conflicts and see how each person views the same thing differently.

c. Although a reader's knowledge about an event is limited to what the narrator knows and understands, it can help build suspense. A mystery can be solved gradually, in stages.

Disadvantages: 

What the readers could know is limited to what the narrator knows and understands, so this may enlarge the gap between readers and characters. 

Note: In a limited third-person narrative, if a multi-focus narrative is used, it is actually a no-focus narrative, which is similar to an omniscient narrative. An omniscient narrator knows more than the characters. He has the perspective of God.

Example: Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone by J. K. Rowling

Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar. " Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.

II. Which Type of Narrators Should You Use?

No narrative type is better than any other. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference. When choosing which model to employ, here are some things to consider:

a. Compared with a limited third-person perspective, a first-person perspective and omniscient perspective can be demonstrated in nature. This means that, when used, it is easier for readers to notice the presence of the narrator. If your goal is to make readers more emotionally engaged with the main characters and not doubt the story, then it is recommended that you should choose a limited third-person perspective.

Example: The CEO's w***e by Angela Devon

He was angry with her. He was angry because she blew him off like that. And he was angry because he didn’t like nor understand these feelings. He tried to rationalize everything, replaying each word of their conversation and analyzing every gesture she made. He didn’t know how to deal with these feelings and emotions she elicited and he refrained from calling Flynn, dreading the explanations and conversation. He wasn’t looking for any revelation or epiphany. 

 (The readers will focus on the emotion of the protagonist.)

b. If you want to write something that spans a long time, involves vast geography, and includes a large number of characters, but you don't want to write hundreds or even thousands of chapters, an omniscient perspective is your best choice.

Literary example: Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

c. If you want to write something as real as a witness' testimony, you can choose the first-person perspective because it makes people feel more like statements of facts than fictional imaginings.

Example: Lost in The Devondale House by Twyllie

I live in a small town where houses are pretty and elegant. Amongst these beautiful houses is our very own big shadowy place. The property has thick trees and tall overgrown grass surrounding it but if you look hard enough, you can see a massive rundown house complete with broken windows and chipped pillars.

d. If you find that one perspective cannot adequately represent an observation object, you can choose two or three perspectives and describe the event from different angles. This will make help complete the details of the event. If the images you create are vivid, they will be more believable. 

For example, in The Red and The Black, Stendhal changes the narrative perspective from time to time to enrich the image of Julien. In the eyes of Madame Derville, Julien is innocent and pitiful. In the eyes of Renal, he is mature and handsome. Through the observations made by different people, the reader gets a very complex image of this character.

III. Practical Guidance

1. Try to write a scene. On three different pages or documents, create one event involving three people, then describe it from these three different perspectives. Try the first-person perspective and the third-person perspective (If you are brave, you can also try the second-person perspective). After writing the scene, read it carefully and ask yourself the following questions: How does the perspective change the story? Which one felt most natural? Which felt the most striking?

2. Apply POV to your novel. Choose a significant event in the work you are creating. From whose perspective did you initially choose to write? On a blank page or document, try to write the same event from the perspective of different characters, and push yourself to write the entire event from this different perspective. What differences do you notice about the characters, or the event itself, as you look at them from different angles? Keep in mind that the way you handle the narration will deepen your understanding of the story.

                                                                                                                                                                             BY Joanna