At the highest level, the two most common point of views are first person and third person. Although there is also a second person point of view, it is used much less frequently. Within each broad form of point of views, there are subtle variations.
The primary difference between the first and third person point of views is that of the scope. The first person POV is the style in which the story is told strictly through the narrators (a character within the story) point of view. Consequently, whatever the narrator is not able to experience or somehow infer through other characters, cannot be part of the narrative. To give an example of this, the narrator would not be able to give the account of events that are occuring in a different room, unless these events are conveyed by a character that is relaying their experience (and biases). The benefit of the first person point of view is that there is an increased level of intimacy with the narrator as deep emotions and thoughts can be related to the reader. In comparison, the third person point of view cannot go as deep into the mind of the characters, but it has the abilty to narrate aspects of the story that the first person narrator would be unable to.
This blog entry will compare and contrast the three variations on the first person point of view.
1. First Person Expository
The first person expository would be considered the most "traditional" and common form of first person point of view. Typically, the narrator of the story is the protagonist or main character and they are relating the story of their life from their own perspective. WIth the first person expository point of view, the narrator's goal is to give a full and relatively objective account of the events and other characters within the story.
2. First Person Lyrical
The first person lyrical is similar to the first person expository in terms that the narrator and the protagonist are the same character. The difference between these two forms of the first person is that with the first person lyrical, the narrator is less concerned with portraying an "objective" account of the story and their objective is more how their own ego is impacted. The narrator's objective in the relaying of the story is not to portray a fair and accurate port but to tell the story about how the events have impacted them.
3. First Person Pedestal
This form of the first person POV is fundamentally different from the first two. The narrator of the story is a character within the story, but the story itself is focused on a different character. In essences, the narrator is putting a character on a "pedestal" - not in terms of admiring the character but more in terms of examining and exploring this other character who is the true focus of the story. An example of first person pedestal point of view is "The Great Gatsby" where the narrator is telling the story through his examination of The Great Gatsby.
The primary difference between the first and third person point of views is that of the scope. The first person POV is the style in which the story is told strictly through the narrators (a character within the story) point of view. Consequently, whatever the narrator is not able to experience or somehow infer through other characters, cannot be part of the narrative. To give an example of this, the narrator would not be able to give the account of events that are occuring in a different room, unless these events are conveyed by a character that is relaying their experience (and biases). The benefit of the first person point of view is that there is an increased level of intimacy with the narrator as deep emotions and thoughts can be related to the reader. In comparison, the third person point of view cannot go as deep into the mind of the characters, but it has the abilty to narrate aspects of the story that the first person narrator would be unable to.
This blog entry will compare and contrast the three variations on the first person point of view.
1. First Person Expository
The first person expository would be considered the most "traditional" and common form of first person point of view. Typically, the narrator of the story is the protagonist or main character and they are relating the story of their life from their own perspective. WIth the first person expository point of view, the narrator's goal is to give a full and relatively objective account of the events and other characters within the story.
2. First Person Lyrical
The first person lyrical is similar to the first person expository in terms that the narrator and the protagonist are the same character. The difference between these two forms of the first person is that with the first person lyrical, the narrator is less concerned with portraying an "objective" account of the story and their objective is more how their own ego is impacted. The narrator's objective in the relaying of the story is not to portray a fair and accurate port but to tell the story about how the events have impacted them.
3. First Person Pedestal
This form of the first person POV is fundamentally different from the first two. The narrator of the story is a character within the story, but the story itself is focused on a different character. In essences, the narrator is putting a character on a "pedestal" - not in terms of admiring the character but more in terms of examining and exploring this other character who is the true focus of the story. An example of first person pedestal point of view is "The Great Gatsby" where the narrator is telling the story through his examination of The Great Gatsby.
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