  Short Stories
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I'm honored to once again be your guest host for this week's edition of the WDC Short Story Newsletter.
Just because you know it all, you don’t have to show it all. You must have at some point heard (or said) "That's more than I needed to know."
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Greetings, Just because you know it all, you don’t have to show it all.
In several past guest appearances, I’ve explored with you first person narrative (My story that I’m sharing with you) and second person narrative (You reach for the light switch and realize the room reeks of gas…). With first person narrative, the reader follows you or your character (the “I” of the story) and bears witness to the immediate actions, observations, recall, appearance even, as perceived by your character as the character experiences it. In second person narrative, you invite the reader to become the character in the story, telling him/her what he/she sees, feels, touches, thinks, recalls. In each of these views, the character engages the reader, eliciting an emotional connection that evokes empathy or sympathy for the character, drawing him/her into the ‘otherworld’ you’ve created as writer.
In third person narrative, however, the scope of your vision as writer is expanded, and depending on the depth of narrative you choose to utilize, you can give a more panoramic view of characters, scenes, recall, opinions, scenery. Your reader can add his/her own perception and experience to step into your ‘otherworld’ as observer or participant, depending on the breadth of your panorama.
In a story, there are two commonly recognized forms of third person narrative –
Omniscient, where the writer knows everything about everyone and everything, and can share the expression of that knowledge in three different views –
 God’s Eye View – expressed when the writer sees and shows all the action, even what the characters can’t see, and expresses opinions about it; where the writer knows every character’s thoughts and feelings, moving from one character’s head to another; the narration is always in third person, unless it’s a ghost or spirit or perhaps a superior animal ‘telling’ the story; and the narrative contains a tone of authority (i.e., “Once upon a time there was a goose that laid a golden egg a day…”), giving the reader the story will unfold in its proper linear order.
Camera Eye View – where the writer sees and shares all the action in the story, but not the opinions or thoughts or feelings of the characters, reporting the action, but not opining or interpreting it. The story is impersonal, without reader interaction, distancing the reader – I’d say the reader would feel more like he/she is reading an article as opposed to engaging a story.
Focused Omniscience – expressed by the omniscient writer, who sees and expresses all the action, but enters only one character’s thoughts and feelings, be it the protagonist, antagonist, or even an ancillary character viewing the action and expressing his/her impressions.
Do you cringe when you read/hear, “Little did she know that her newfound romance would last but a week”?
The peril inherent in omniscience is distancing your reader, where the characters themselves do not engage him. If you show it all - reveal every nuance of every thought of each character, explain everything in detail, and opine, your reader remains an outside observer to the action in the story. Yes, as the writer, you know your characters’ hopes, dreams, fears, perceptions, but if you reveal all the details openly to your reader, along with your opinion as to same, your omnipotent expression leaves little to engage the reader’s curiosity or empathy, as you tell your reader what has been, is and will be.
Third Person Limited point of view, however, does engage the reader’s curiosity or empathy, as the writer relates the story in third person using one character’s point of view. The reader can only see what that character sees, and what he/she/it perceives, recalls. The reader experiences the character’s emotions and hopes. When the featured character engages other characters or obstacles, the reader feels and sees, and perceives what the character does in full detail, but without the writer’s commentary or opinion as to such perceptions.
I think that one reason this form is most commonly used today is that the reader can empathize with the character, get into his/her/its head and for a time share the character’s desire, aspiration, and engage his/her/it’s adventure in the ‘otherworld’ devised by the writer.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey into the realm of omniscience and the not-so-objective third-person point of view as a writer for your reader.
For further reference, see -
Characters & Viewpoint, Orson Scott Card
Mastering Point of View, Sherri Szeman
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I hope you enjoy as I have reading a few of the stories penned by members of our Community for your reading (and reviewing ) pleasure
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#1492546 by Not Available. |
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#1173056 by Not Available. |
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This whole story is written in third person.
Please give me opinions. Thanks.
#1062393 by Hikari_Riku  |
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If you've a story (prosaic, poetic or expository) for which you'd like an in-depth read and review, check out the following
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#1488944 by Not Available. |
And what of this month's challenge ~ you think a lyric essay, a bit of omniscience or limited third person, might work here? or maybe you prefer something different, like second person? ~ such creative possibilities
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Thank you for this welcome to your virtual home.
I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, in company of loving family and stalwart muse.
Until we next meet,
Keep Writing!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
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Short Stories: November 12, 2008 Issue [#2710]
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