Point of view is a fundamental choice a writer makes when crafting a story. It dictates who is telling the story and how they relate to the characters and events within it. The perspective through which a narrative unfolds significantly shapes the reader’s experience and understanding. While first and second person perspectives offer unique narrative voices, third person point of view stands out as a versatile and widely used technique. But What Is 3rd Person point of view exactly, and why is it so prevalent in storytelling?
In essence, third-person point of view employs a narrator who exists outside of the story itself. This narrator describes the characters and events from an external vantage point, using third-person pronouns such as he, she, it, and they to refer to the characters. Unlike first-person (I, we) where the narrator is a character within the story, or second-person (you) which directly addresses the reader, third-person narration provides a sense of distance and objectivity. This allows for a broad scope and the ability to present information without being confined to a single character’s experiences or biases.
To fully understand what 3rd person point of view entails, it’s crucial to explore its different types. Third-person narration isn’t monolithic; it branches into distinct categories, each offering unique storytelling possibilities:
Types of 3rd Person Point of View
The beauty of 3rd person point of view lies in its flexibility. Writers can choose from various approaches within this perspective to achieve different narrative effects. The main types are:
1. Third Person Omniscient Point of View
When exploring what is 3rd person point of view, the omniscient perspective is perhaps the most expansive. “Omniscient” literally means “all-knowing,” and that perfectly describes this type of narrator. A third-person omniscient narrator possesses a god-like awareness of the story. They know everything: every character’s thoughts, feelings, motivations, past experiences, and future possibilities. This narrator can move freely between characters, locations, and even time, offering a panoramic view of the narrative world.
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women provides a classic example of third-person omniscient narration. The narrator isn’t one of the March sisters, but an external voice that has access to each girl’s inner world:
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
“It’s so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
“I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
“We’ve got Father and Mother, and each other,” said Beth contentedly from her corner.
The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, “We haven’t got Father, and shall not have him for a long time.” She didn’t say “perhaps never,” but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was. — Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, 1868
Notice how the narrator reveals not just what the characters say, but also their unspoken thoughts (“each silently added it, thinking of Father far away”). This ability to delve into the minds of multiple characters is a hallmark of third-person omniscient point of view. It offers readers a comprehensive understanding of the story’s complexities and the inner lives of its characters.
2. Third Person Limited Point of View
Another key aspect of understanding what is 3rd person point of view is the “limited” perspective. In third-person limited narration, the narrator remains outside the story, referring to characters with third-person pronouns. However, unlike the omniscient narrator, the limited narrator focuses on the thoughts and experiences of only one character. The reader sees the story through the eyes of this chosen character, gaining access to their inner world while other characters’ thoughts and feelings remain unknown, unless revealed through dialogue or actions.
J.K. Rowling masterfully utilizes third-person limited point of view in the Harry Potter series. While the narrator isn’t Harry himself, the story is primarily filtered through his perspective. We are privy to Harry’s thoughts, feelings, and perceptions, but we only learn about other characters’ inner lives as Harry does:
Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and Harry couldn’t see any way out of his situation. He lay on his bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was going to happen to him.
What was the good of magicking himself out of his room if Hogwarts would expel him for doing it? Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now that the Dursleys knew they weren’t going to wake up as fruit bats, he had lost his only weapon. Dobby might have saved Harry from horrible happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, he’d probably starve to death anyway. — J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
We are immersed in Harry’s worries and anxieties. We know his internal struggles and his interpretations of events. This third-person limited perspective creates a sense of intimacy and allows readers to deeply connect with the protagonist, experiencing the story alongside them. Mystery and suspense are often heightened in limited perspective as the reader, like the focal character, is only given partial information.
3. Third Person Objective Point of View
Completing our exploration of what is 3rd person point of view brings us to the objective perspective. Third-person objective narration is the most detached and observational of the third-person types. Here, the narrator acts like a camera, recording only what can be seen and heard. There is no access to any character’s thoughts or feelings. The story unfolds through actions, dialogue, and external descriptions, leaving the reader to infer motivations and emotions based solely on observable details.
Shirley Jackson’s chilling short story “The Lottery” is a powerful example of third-person objective narration. The opening lines exemplify this detached, factual style:
The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o’clock; in some towns there were so many people that the lottery took two days and had to be started on June 25th. But in this village, where there were only about three hundred people, the whole lottery took less than two hours, so it could begin at ten o’clock in the morning and still be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner. — Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery,” 1948
The narrator simply reports the events – the time, the location, the logistics of the lottery. There’s no commentary, no emotional coloring, and no insight into what the villagers are thinking or feeling (at least initially). This objective approach can create a sense of realism, suspense, and even unease, as the reader is left to piece together the story’s meaning from the external details provided.
Why Use 3rd Person Point of View?
Understanding what is 3rd person point of view also involves recognizing its advantages. Writers choose third-person narration for a variety of reasons:
- Versatility: As demonstrated by its subtypes, third person offers a spectrum of narrative possibilities, from all-knowing omniscience to detached objectivity.
- Scope: It allows for a broader canvas, accommodating multiple characters and storylines without being limited to a single perspective.
- Objectivity (or controlled subjectivity): While omniscient narration is subjective in its access to inner thoughts, it still maintains an external narrative voice. Limited and objective perspectives offer varying degrees of detachment, which can be crucial for certain stories.
- Reader Accessibility: Many readers find third-person narration comfortable and familiar, making it a widely accepted and accessible choice.
In conclusion, third person point of view is a powerful and flexible narrative tool. Whether a writer chooses the expansive scope of omniscient, the focused intimacy of limited, or the stark detachment of objective, understanding the nuances of what is 3rd person point of view is essential for crafting compelling and effective stories. It’s a fundamental aspect of storytelling that shapes not only who tells the story, but also how the story is experienced by the reader.
