Questions about Narration and Point of View

Questions about Narration and Point of View

1. Does the narrator speak in the first, second, or third person?

The point of view varies according to the narrator’s position in the story and the grammatical person the narrative voice assumes.

1. In the story narrated in the past or present tense? Does the verb tense affect your reading of it in any way?

The verb tense used has an effect on the narration of a story. However, the present tense is also frequently used, it can lend an impression of immediacy, of frequent repetition, or of a dreamlike or magical state that isn’t subject to the passage of time.

1. Does the narrator use a distinctive vocabulary, style, and tone, or is the language more standard and neutral?

Yes, the narrator often uses distinctive vocabulary in his or her work or literature, often to express emotion and feelings throughout their work.

1. Is the narrator indentified as a character, and if so, how much does he or she participate in the action?

Not in all works of literature the narrator is revealed, nor are they identified as a main character. When the narrator is involved in the story they are often a main character and play important roles.

1. Does the narrator ever seem to speak to the reader directly (addressing “you”) or explicitly state opinions or values?

Yes, I believe that there are many times where the narrator is “speaking” to the audience or to the readers.

1. Do you know what every character is thinking, or only some characters, or none?

Sometimes you know what the character is thinking, and you know exactly what they intend to do next. However, that’s not every case, sometimes you have no clue what the characters are thinking.

1. Does the narrative voices or focus shift during the story or remain consistent?

I believe that the focus shifts during a story, its changes due to the angle that the author wishes to present to the reader.

1. Do the narrator, the characters, and the reader all perceive matters in the same way, or are there differences in levels of understanding?

No, absolutely not, everyone does not share the same opinion. Some opinions may be similar but no opinion is exactly the same, there will always be differences.