Points of View - Third Person

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Third-Person Point of View

As you saw in the initial blog, we listed and defined the many possible points of view (POV) authors can use to narrate their storylines. In the last blog, I focused on the first-person POV. Here we will talk about two very popular third-person POV uses; third-person limited and third-person omniscient.

In third-person POV, the narrator is an external entity separate from the story's characters. Third-person narratives can be further classified into main types:

Third-person Limited:

The narrator focuses on the thoughts and experiences of a single character, usually the protagonist. Third-person limited uses pronouns like "he," "she," and "they" but doesn't delve into the minds of other characters. Writers choose the third-person limited POV when they want to provide a close and focused perspective while maintaining some narrative distance. Here are some situations where using the third-person limited POV can be advantageous:

Deep Character Exploration: Third-person limited POV allows writers to delve deeply into the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of a specific character. By adopting this perspective, writers can intimately explore the inner world of the character, providing readers with a rich understanding of their motivations, conflicts, and growth. It enables a strong sense of empathy and connection with the character while still maintaining some objectivity.

Multiple Perspectives: Third-person limited POV allows writers to use multiple viewpoints within a story by shifting the focus from one character to another. Each chapter or section can be dedicated to a different character's perspective, providing a broader understanding of the narrative and its various subplots. This technique is especially useful when multiple characters' experiences are crucial to the story's development.

Unreliable Narrator: Third-person limited POV can be used to present an unreliable narrator who is unaware of certain aspects of the story or holds biases and misconceptions. The narrative is filtered through the character's limited understanding, allowing for surprises, suspense, and dramatic irony. This technique can create tension and engage readers as they uncover the truth alongside the character.

Objective Observation: While third-person limited POV provides access to a character's thoughts and feelings, it still maintains a level of objectivity and distance. This can be advantageous when writers want to present a more balanced or comprehensive view of the story's events and other characters. It allows readers to observe and interpret the world through the character's eyes while keeping a broader perspective.

Voice and Style: Writers can experiment with different narrative voices and writing styles within the third-person limited POV. Each character can have a distinct voice, reflecting their -personality, background, or language choices. This adds depth and variety to the storytelling, making the characters more vivid and memorable.

Using the third-person limited POV offers a balance between intimate exploration of a character's thoughts and maintaining some narrative detachment. It allows writers to create well-rounded characters, provide multiple perspectives, and explore themes with depth and nuance.

Third-person Omniscient:

The narrator has access to the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of multiple characters. This perspective provides a broader view of the story, allowing readers to understand the inner workings of various characters. Writers choose to use the third-person omniscient POV when they want to provide a broad and all-knowing perspective on the story. Here are some situations where using the third-person omniscient POV can be helpful:

Multiple Character Insights: Third-person omniscient POV allows writers to provide insights into the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of multiple characters within the same narrative. The narrator has access to the inner thoughts and emotions of various characters, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of different motivations, conflicts, and viewpoints. This can lead to a rich and layered portrayal of the story's world.

Objective and Authoritative Voice: The third-person omniscient POV provides a sense of authority and objectivity to the narration. The narrator can present information, provide context, and offer commentary beyond what any individual character knows or perceives. This can be helpful in presenting a balanced and impartial view of the story's events, themes, and social or political contexts.

Worldbuilding and Exposition: Third-person omniscient POV allows writers to efficiently convey information about the story's world, history, or background without relying solely on the characters' perspectives. The narrator can provide context, describe settings, and explain relevant details in a straightforward manner, enhancing the reader's understanding of the story's larger context.

Epic or Complex Narratives: Third-person omniscient POV is often employed in epic or sprawling narratives that involve numerous characters, subplots, or intricate storylines. It enables writers to seamlessly shift focus and provide updates on various story threads. This perspective helps in managing and connecting multiple storylines, creating a cohesive and comprehensive narrative.

Dramatic Irony: The third-person omniscient POV can create opportunities for dramatic irony, where readers are privy to information that the characters themselves are unaware of. This creates tension and engagement as readers anticipate the consequences or revelations that the characters are yet to discover.

It’s important to note that the third-person omniscient POV can be challenging to execute effectively. Writers must maintain clarity and consistency in the narrative voice, avoid confusion or overwhelming readers with excessive information, and ensure a balance between the omniscient perspective and the individual characters' experiences.

Again, choosing the third-person omniscient POV depends on the scope of the story, the need for multiple perspectives, and the desire to present a comprehensive view of the narrative. It offers a wide-ranging and authoritative storytelling approach, allowing writers to explore complex narratives and provide readers with a deeper understanding of the story's world and characters.