Who is telling the story? "Someone" tells every story. This means that every work of writing is composed in one or more fictional voices. Voice and its grammatical correlate, point of view, shape the frame through which the reader experiences the story. Point of view is a form of storytelling in which a narrator relates the action. So, it refers to that particular perspective, or angle, from which a novel is told.
Four main points of view are discussed in the literature. The first of these narrative devices is called Omniscient or all-knowing narrator. The Omniscient point of view (hereinafter, POV) is when the narrator can assume that he knows not only everything the characters know, but things they do not know, too. Besides, he can enter into the mind of his characters and analyze their thoughts and emotions. So, we can say that the narrator has an unlimited perspective. Third-person narrative is another term for this point of view. Accordingly, the writer incorporates pronouns such as "he" or "she" in the narrative. This means that the narrator is nonparticipant, that is, he is not a character of any kind within the story being told. In other words, the story concerns, not the writer, but some third person, and we know that the narrator is in the background as a spectator of what happened to other people. When the author chooses Omniscient POV, he then must choose whether this POV will be limited to one character or two, or if multiple viewpoints will be used.
On the other hand, the First Person POV is when an identifiable narrator, the classic "I" (or, when plural, "we") tells the story. The narrator appears then as a character in the story and the reader can only know what the First Person POV character knows. Notice that the novel is seen through the eyes of one person, but the First Person narrator may or not may be the focal character. It is also possible that the First Person narration may be told as a story within a story.
Limited Omniscient POV is when the reader follows the story from the overview third-person narration but follows closely the emotions, thoughts, and backstory of one or two particular characters. We can say that Limited Omniscient POV combines both First Person and Omniscient. Now we know that third person POV may be Omniscient or Limited. We can say that the distinction Omniscient/Limited Omniscient refers to the knowledge available to the narrator.
Finally, Objective point of view is when the writer does not enter into the minds of any of the characters. In reality, it is not often used in fiction, but it is usual in plays.
Four main points of view are discussed in the literature. The first of these narrative devices is called Omniscient or all-knowing narrator. The Omniscient point of view (hereinafter, POV) is when the narrator can assume that he knows not only everything the characters know, but things they do not know, too. Besides, he can enter into the mind of his characters and analyze their thoughts and emotions. So, we can say that the narrator has an unlimited perspective. Third-person narrative is another term for this point of view. Accordingly, the writer incorporates pronouns such as "he" or "she" in the narrative. This means that the narrator is nonparticipant, that is, he is not a character of any kind within the story being told. In other words, the story concerns, not the writer, but some third person, and we know that the narrator is in the background as a spectator of what happened to other people. When the author chooses Omniscient POV, he then must choose whether this POV will be limited to one character or two, or if multiple viewpoints will be used.
On the other hand, the First Person POV is when an identifiable narrator, the classic "I" (or, when plural, "we") tells the story. The narrator appears then as a character in the story and the reader can only know what the First Person POV character knows. Notice that the novel is seen through the eyes of one person, but the First Person narrator may or not may be the focal character. It is also possible that the First Person narration may be told as a story within a story.
Limited Omniscient POV is when the reader follows the story from the overview third-person narration but follows closely the emotions, thoughts, and backstory of one or two particular characters. We can say that Limited Omniscient POV combines both First Person and Omniscient. Now we know that third person POV may be Omniscient or Limited. We can say that the distinction Omniscient/Limited Omniscient refers to the knowledge available to the narrator.
Finally, Objective point of view is when the writer does not enter into the minds of any of the characters. In reality, it is not often used in fiction, but it is usual in plays.
Marco Antônio Bomfoco 2010
Follow the link:
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Point-of-View-in-Fiction?&id=4024022
