First person vs. Second person vs. Third person - Rebekah Bergman
TLDRThis script explores the impact of narrative perspective in storytelling, comparing third person, first person, and second person narratives. It uses examples from classic literature and fairy tales like 'Rapunzel' to illustrate how different points of view can dramatically change a story's feel and focus, highlighting the creative possibilities and constraints each perspective offers.
Takeaways
- 📚 The importance of point of view in storytelling is emphasized, highlighting how it can transform the narrative experience.
- 🎭 Three literary examples are given to illustrate different points of view: third person in 'Rapunzel', first person in the prince's perspective, and second person addressing the reader.
- 👥 The script discusses the three main narrative perspectives: third person, first person, and second person, each with its unique possibilities and constraints.
- 🔍 Third person narration can be limited to one character's perspective or omniscient, providing a broader view of the story.
- 🤹♂️ First person narration creates a close connection between the reader and the narrator,受限 by the narrator's own knowledge and potentially unreliable.
- 👁️🗨️ Second person narration directly involves the reader in the story, creating a sense of urgency and personal involvement.
- 🕵️♂️ The script uses 'The Remains of the Day' to illustrate how a first person unreliable narrator can reveal underlying themes and societal issues.
- 👥 'We the Animals' is cited as an example where the narrative shifts from a plural first person to a singular first person, reflecting character development.
- 💡 The potential impact of new technologies like virtual and augmented reality on storytelling and point of view is suggested.
- 🛠️ Constraints in point of view can be beneficial, helping to focus a story or highlight specific elements.
- 🔑 The choice of point of view should be considered carefully, as it can significantly influence the reader's experience and understanding of the story.
Q & A
What are the three opening lines from the provided script and what do they represent?
-The three opening lines are from 'Invisible Man' by Ralph Ellison, 'Mrs. Dalloway' by Virginia Woolf, and 'If on a winter’s night a traveler' by Italo Calvino. They represent the different points of view from which a story can be told.
What is the significance of the point of view in storytelling?
-The point of view in storytelling is significant as it determines who is telling the story and from what perspective, which can completely transform the narrative.
How is the fairytale 'Rapunzel' typically told from a narrative perspective?
-Rapunzel is typically told from a third-person point of view, with the narrator outside the story.
What changes when 'Rapunzel' is narrated in the first person?
-When 'Rapunzel' is narrated in the first person, the story can change dramatically, depending on which character is the narrator, allowing for a more personal and potentially biased perspective.
What is the difference between a limited third-person narrator and an omniscient third-person narrator?
-A limited third-person narrator sticks close to one character’s thoughts and feelings, while an omniscient third-person narrator can move between characters' minds and provide more information.
How does a first-person narrative create closeness between the reader and the narrator?
-A first-person narrative creates closeness by allowing the reader to experience the story through the eyes of the narrator, who is a character within the story and whose knowledge is restricted to their own experiences.
Can a first-person narrator be delusional or dishonest in their storytelling?
-Yes, a first-person narrator can be delusional or dishonest, as seen in Kazuo Ishiguro’s 'The Remains of the Day,' where the narrator, Stevens, fails to acknowledge the flaws of the man he serves.
What is unique about the point of view shift in Justin Torres’s novel 'We the Animals'?
-In 'We the Animals,' the point of view shifts from a plural first person ('we') to a singular first person ('I'), reflecting the protagonist's growing alienation from his brothers as they come of age.
What is the second person point of view and how does it affect the reader?
-The second person point of view addresses the reader directly as 'you,' which can build urgency and suspense, and sometimes is used to distance the narrator from their own story.
How might new technologies like virtual and augmented reality change the way we tell and experience stories?
-New technologies like virtual and augmented reality may expand the possibilities for storytelling by placing people at particular vantage points in virtual space, potentially offering new perspectives and immersive experiences.
What are some of the constraints and benefits of using different points of view in storytelling?
-Constraints, such as limited knowledge or distance from characters, can actually benefit a story by focusing it or highlighting certain elements. Different points of view offer unique possibilities for narrative depth, suspense, and reader engagement.
Outlines
📚 Opening Lines and Perspectives
This paragraph discusses the importance of point of view in storytelling, illustrated by the opening lines of Ralph Ellison's 'Invisible Man', Virginia Woolf’s 'Mrs. Dalloway', and Italo Calvino’s 'If on a winter’s night a traveler'. It emphasizes how different perspectives can dramatically alter the narrative. The paragraph then uses the example of the fairytale 'Rapunzel' to demonstrate how the story can be told from third person, first person, and second person perspectives, each offering unique insights and limitations.
👁️🗨️ Narrative Perspectives Explained
This section delves deeper into the three main narrative perspectives: third person, first person, and second person. It explains that a third person narrator can be limited or omniscient, focusing on one character or moving between characters' minds. The first person perspective creates a close bond between the reader and the narrator but is limited by the narrator's knowledge, often used to build suspense. The second person perspective is less common and involves addressing the reader directly, which can create urgency and suspense or distance the narrator from the story. The paragraph also highlights examples from Kazuo Ishiguro’s 'The Remains of the Day' and Justin Torres’s 'We the Animals' to illustrate these points.
🤔 Choosing a Narrative Point of View
This paragraph explores the decision-making process behind choosing a point of view for a story. It suggests that constraints in storytelling can be beneficial, helping to focus the narrative or highlight certain elements. The paragraph discusses the advantages of a third person narrator in creating a sense of distance, which can be crucial for certain stories. It also touches on the potential of first person narratives to create suspense by revealing information as the character discovers it. The paragraph concludes by noting the rarity of second person narratives and their potential to either engage or distance the reader.
🌐 Future of Narrative Perspectives
The final paragraph speculates on how new technologies like virtual and augmented reality might influence storytelling and narrative perspectives. It suggests that placing people in specific vantage points in virtual space could change how stories are told and experienced, opening up new possibilities for narrative experimentation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Point of View
💡Third Person
💡First Person
💡Second Person
💡Narrator
💡Limited Third Person
💡Omniscient Third Person
💡Suspense
💡Delusional or Dishonest Narrator
💡Plural First Person
💡Virtual and Augmented Reality
Highlights
The importance of point of view in storytelling, as demonstrated by opening lines from 'Invisible Man', 'Mrs. Dalloway', and 'If on a winter’s night a traveler'.
The transformative effect of changing the point of view on a story.
Introduction of the fairytale 'Rapunzel' as an example to illustrate different narrative perspectives.
Explanation of the third person narrative perspective commonly used in storytelling.
The impact of a first person narrative on the story of 'Rapunzel', as told from the prince's perspective.
How the narrative changes when told from Rapunzel's point of view in the first person.
Introduction of the second person narrative, addressing the reader directly.
The unique possibilities and constraints of third person, first person, and second person perspectives in storytelling.
How constraints in narrative perspective can focus a story or highlight certain elements.
The role of a third person limited narrator, staying close to one character's thoughts and feelings.
The capabilities of a third person omniscient narrator, providing a broader view of characters' minds.
The closeness created between the reader and the first person narrator, and its impact on suspense.
The potential unreliability of a first person narrator, as seen in 'The Remains of the Day'.
Shift from plural to singular first person narrative in 'We the Animals', reflecting character development.
The rarity and challenges of the second person narrative, requiring the reader to become the 'you' in the story.
The use of second person to distance the narrator from their own story, rather than engaging the reader.
The potential of new virtual and augmented reality technologies to expand narrative perspectives in storytelling.
Transcripts
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