A narrative is like a room on whose walls a number of false doors have been painted; while within the narrative, we have many apparent choices of exit, but when the author leads us to one particular door, we know it is the right one because it opens. 

- John Updike

Now that we have developed some characters, added some conflict, thought about theme, and started telling some story, it is time to consider how we will tell this particular story. Now it is time we think about narration and point-of-view. How will the point-of-view chosen for this story change the story? How will point-of-view change the theme? Would the theme of The Great Gatsby be different if it was told from Jay Gatsby's point-of-view? Would your reading of The Turn of the Screw or "The Yellow Wallpaper" be different if told by a third-person omniscient narrator? How would Frankenstein change if told from the point-of-view of Dr. Frankenstein? The monster?

The first big choice to make (and the best writers realize that this may have to be turned on its head in a much later draft!) is for the writer to decide if the story will be told in the first- or third-person (second person narration does occur, but it is rare and has an implied first- or third-person narrator). In a first-person story, the narrator is usually a character involved in the action of the story, who refers to himself or herself as "I". In a third-person story, the narrator, on the other hand, is frequently anonymous and, more often than not, does not play any direct role in the story besides detached story-teller.

Once a decision is made regarding first- or third-person narration, some thought must be given to what kind of first- or third person narration will be employed. It could be argued that all first-person narration is unreliable, as it is necessarily subjective, but more frequently, readers make a distinction between reliable and unreliable first-person narrators. For example, a character who is mentally ill or an established liar may be said to be clearly unreliable, while a character who "honestly" relates events may be said to be reliable. The use of the unreliable narrator in fiction is a device that is far more common than it once was, but it remains a very powerful tool in the writer's toolbox.

In a third-person tale, the narrator can be said to be an observer of the action who is omniscient, partially omniscient or objective. In the case of a third-person omniscient narrator, the story may move from character to character showing what each is thinking at any time. Alternatively, a third-person limited omniscient narrator may only get inside one character's head (sometimes more, but never all), while an objective, third-person narrator never gets inside anyone's head (this is the roving camera).

Point-of-view is just another way to talk about what perspective we, as the writers, are going to give our readers on the action. Point-of-view is really about distance. How close are we going to get to the story? Closer (i.e., first-person) usually means more subjectivity, and as writers, we can use this to our advantage. A first-person story can be very compelling because we are literally in the action. On the other hand, distance can be an effective tool as well. With a more distant telling, we can reveal details about many characters' actions, motivations, etc., without needing a first-person narrator to have gleaned this knowledge through first-hand experience. Both are effective, and sometimes switching the point-of-view can make a story that is not working finally click.

There are those authors who switch point-of-view within a single story (heck, Gabriel Garcia Marquez sometimes changes point-of-view and verb tense in a single sentence!). Generally this is a bad idea, and it is certainly far more difficult to pull off. Nonetheless, when it is done well, it can produce a stunning effect.

Writing Exercises

When experimenting with point-of-view, the most effective exercises are to rewrite scenes you have already written from different points-of-view. Also, see what happens when you retell the same scene but from the perspective of an unreliable first-person narrator.

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Homework: We're off and running now. Continue to work on the piece you started last week. If you have time, rewrite it from another point-of-view. If you don't have time, continue telling the story but with a real focus on the advantages and disadvantages of your chosen point-of-view. Bring in either 1) the opening re-written from a different point-of-view, or 2) the next three pages (give or take) along with three pros and three cons to your chosen point-of-view for discussion. As always, bring copies to class for everyone.

Suggested Reading for Next Week: "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien; "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine" by Jhumpa Lahiri.

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