1. Discussion – Point of view (Narrative Voice)

Discussion – Point of view

When describing point of view, we talk in terms of the grammatical person in which it is  narrated (first/second/third) and how much of the events the narrator knows (i.e. do they only  know what is happening to one person, or several).

Explain what you know about the terms below.

● Person  

• First person
• Second person
• Third person
  
• Depth of knowledge

• Limited
• Omniscient

Author’s voice and character’s voice

Authors aren’t their characters, but sometimes they can use their characters as vehicles for their  own views to shine through. Not all the time, though, and not all characters. Thus, it’s important  for the reader to learn to separate these two out.

When it comes to your own writing, you’ll also need to learn how to separate the way you talk  and think from how your characters talk and think. After all, realistic characters all have  different personalities.

Let’s start thinking about how voice comes through in narrative. 

Explain the meaning and examples of the terms below.

• Reliability
• Objectivity
• Omniscience
• Free indirect discourse
• Stream of consciousness