In literature, the role of point of view is important to create engaging stories. It sets the tone for the readers to perceive characters, shape their understanding, events and themes in the narrative. By using a particular point of view, the authors are able to enrich understanding of the readers, develop emotions, as well as engagement with the story.
Definition of Point of View
Point of view refers to the vantage point from which a story is told. It informs about the narrator of the events and the information available with the readers. The authors use different types of point of view to create closeness with a sole character.
It gives the readers a clear picture of multiple characters or place in the story. Point of view is important in narrating the story, as it characterizes the relationship between the reader and the narrative.
Types of Point of View
There are different types of point of view in literature. One can influence how much the readers know and feel for the characters and the events.
1- First-Person Point of View
A story is told in first person point of view. The character tells the story in first person by using pronouns, such as ‘I’ and ‘we’. This makes the readers feel that they are close to the narrator. It also limits the narrative to the narrator’s knowledge and biases.
Example: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”
— Chapter 1
Here, the first person narration reveals the inside view of Gatsby’s world. It is tinged with Nick’s own views and judgments. In this point of view, people can observe the story of Gatsby through a close proximity and personal lens, while being limited to Nick’s interpretations.
2- Second-Person Point of View
In second-person point of view, the pronoun ‘you’ is used to address the reader. The entire thing is written in the second person point of view. It is a rare perspective to find in literature, though it can also lend itself to some wonderfully immersive stories, with the reader taking on the persona of the protagonist.
Example: “Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McInerney
“You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning. But here you are, and you cannot say that the terrain is entirely unfamiliar, although the details are fuzzy.”
By addressing the reader as “you”, McInerney puts the readers right in the heart of the protagonist’s world, and makes them feel like they’re living the character’s life and experiencing the story. In this point of view, the reader bridges the gap between the reader and character, which creates an extremely personal bond.
See also: Poetic Justice in Literature
3- Third-Person Limited Point of View
In third person limited point of view, the narrator is not inside the story, but he’s looking at a character’s thoughts and experiences. This type of point of view employs the use of pronouns, such as “he”, “she” and “they”, but it still grounds the story from an outside point of view.
Example: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling
“Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce…”
— Chapter 12
Here, the use of third person limited perspective allows the readers to see the story through the eyes of Harry, while still experiencing the wonder and excitement throughout the story. This point of view is effective in developing empathy with a single character while still having some narrative distance.
4- Third-Person Omniscient Point of View
The third person omniscient point of view allows the narrator to know all about the characters and events, including their inner thoughts and hidden motivations. Due to the “all knowing”, the narrator can move between the characters and give a holistic perspective of the story.
Example: “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
“Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter.”
— Chapter 43
In the novel, the use of omniscient narrator gives readers insight into Elizabeth’s thoughts as well as those of others, providing a sense of the social dynamics at work. This type of point of view gives the reader a rich and detailed view of the story’s world, and insight into multiple perspectives.
Use of Point of View to create Suspense and Drama
Viewpoint does not just inform a reader; it heightens emotional stakes, decides pacing, and creates suspense.
For example, in a thriller, an author might employ limited third person perspective (from the point of view of the protagonist), to create tension, which allows the reader to stay as ignorant about the antagonist’s motivations as the character is.
An omniscient narrator, on the other hand, can tell a reader of the villain’s plot at the same time as the protagonist is not aware, which makes for dramatic irony and anticipation.
Example: “Dracula” by Bram Stoker
Stoker’s epistolary novel uses various first-person accounts—letters, diaries, and journals—to create suspense and convey the terror each character experiences. By alternating perspectives, he immerses readers in each character’s unique fears and struggles. This approach builds tension as readers piece together the mystery of Count Dracula alongside the characters, creating a chilling experience enhanced by the shifting perspectives.
Role of Point of View in Establishing Theme and Tone
The point of view is equally important in giving a story a theme and tone. To give an example, a story told in the voice of a child might provide an innocent and circumscribed perspective on adult issues, providing a tone of wonder, a note of humor or tragedy.
Omniscient narrator is in contrast to a detached and authoritative tone. An omniscient narrator can also shape the readers perception of events as destined and fated.
Example: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
Scout Finch’s first-person perspective provides readers with a child’s honest, unfiltered view of prejudice and justice in the American South. Her innocence underscores the severity of the themes, as readers see the harsh realities of racial inequality through her eyes. Lee’s choice of Scout’s perspective brings a sense of authenticity and emotional weight to the story’s moral and social messages.
Importance of Point of View
Point of view is important because it impacts the emotions and understanding of the readers, and also the connection between the characters.
For example, a first person point of view could heighten intimacy, which allows the readers to feel as if they are experiencing the story with the character. Third-person omniscient, on the other hand, gives the readers a broader perspective and allows them to see in the minds of various characters.
By using the right point of view, the authors can create suspense; manipulate readers’ sympathies; or have hidden truths that the reader learns in the story.
related literary devices to Point of View
1- Unreliable Narrator
An unreliable narrator is any character whose rendition of a series of events is dubious because he/she is too biased, ignorant and unstable to be trusted. This device is usually employed in first person point of view and adds suspense and forces the reader to question the narrator’s account of events.
Example: : In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”, the narrator denies his insanity, describing that his actions were rational and violent. It creates tension, wherein the readers think that the narrator is not reliable, thus adding layers to the story’s psychological components.
2- Stream of Consciousness
Stream of consciousness in a narrative technique where the thoughts of a character are expressed in a continuous flow similar to the natural thought patterns. This device is usually used in first or third person limited point of view, and readers feel it in the character’s mind.
Example: In the novel “Mrs. Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf, the stream of conscious method makes the readers feel as if they were having the same thought as Clarissa Dalloway. It creates a feeling of immediacy and familiarity with the character.
See also: Literary Devices That Start With P
