Writing in the first or third person

Key learning points

When writing fiction, a writer carefully chooses the point of view. A point of view is the perspective of the story – the way the story is told.

The point of view a writer chooses to write in, in the first or third person, can shape the way readers engage with the story and the way characters are presented.

First person narrative

A first person narrative is told from the point of view of a character in the story. First person narratives use:

• personal pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘me’
• collective pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘us’
• possessive pronouns such as ‘mine’ and ‘ours’

Since the narrator is part of the events they describe, their accounts are often based around what they know. This narrative perspective can also use the second person narrative with pronouns such as ‘you’, ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘yours’ and ‘your’.

Third person narrative

When a story is told in the third person, the voice is not a character in the story. Writing that is in the third person can switch between characters. This is because the narrator is not part of the events and is simply reporting or observing them.

Third person narratives use pronouns such as ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’, ‘them’, and ‘themselves’, as well as the names of characters in the story.

Writing in the first or third person produces different types of relationships between the narrator, the characters and the reader. There are limitations and benefits to both points of view.

First person

• The first person narrative is often based around one character. The reader bases their understanding of what is described through the character’s perspective, experiences and feelings.
• Benefits: This approach can build a closer relationship between the character and the reader.
• Limitations: As one character is the sole narrator, the reader might have a limited view of this fictional world.

Third person

• The third person narrative can have a broader point of view, so the reader can see beyond one character’s perspective.
• Benefits: Third person can have access to the thoughts, feelings and experiences of several characters. If the narrator is all-knowing this is known as omniscient. This can help the writer give a broader view of the fictional world.
• Limitations: Omniscient third person narrators that know all the facts can sometimes feel detached as they may not share their thoughts with the reader. A writer may choose a third person narrator with a limited point of view, so that they can focus on just one character’s thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Writing in first person can be powerful. The immediacy of first person can reduce the distance between the reader/audience and the narrator/character. Narrators can sometimes even speak directly to the reader/audience. For example, in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre the narrator says:

Reader, I married him.

By directly addressing and acknowledging the presence of the reader, the writer establishes a deeper connection with us.

Seeing the world with and through the eyes of the narrator creates empathy which in turn increases the likelihood of the reader/audience rooting for the first person narrator.

The distance of third person narratives allows the writer to create setting more easily, as they can give sweeping descriptions of the wider environment. These descriptions of setting are often important in establishing the mood or atmosphere of a piece of fiction.

In third person narratives, readers often feel they are hearing the voice of the writer. This allows readers to share in their viewpoint of this fictional world. For example, when reading a Jane Austen novel, readers feel as if they are learning something about the narrator’s sharp insights into Georgian society.

Third person narratives are also effective at creating an impression of a character that is not limited to one perspective. For example, in the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the character of Mr Darcy is presented to the reader:

Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance … and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud;

The scene is presented through a third person narrator, which allows the writer to show the general impression that the character is making. This description also reveals some interesting details about how people in this society form judgements.

Unreliable narrators

First person narration can give a sense of intimacy and authenticity. The writer could also make first person narrators unreliable. First person narrators can act and give accounts that are unreliable, biased or contradictory. The reader is encouraged to see that the narrator’s view of the fictional world may not be accurate.

The character of Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon is both a reliable and unreliable narrator. Christopher has a really good memory. For that reason, his descriptions are highly accurate and reliable. However, Christopher struggles to interpret certain situations, as well as tone of voice and facial expressions, so can sometimes misunderstand a situation, which makes him an unreliable narrator.

Multiple narrators

Sometimes a writer may use more than one narrator to tell a story. This allows the writer to show different perspectives.

For example, in the novel Wonder by RJ Palacio the story starts from the perspective of the main character Auggie. Then it switches to his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend and others. This has the effect of showing us Auggie’s world from lots of different perspectives, adding a richness to the experiences and prejudices he faces by showing them through the eyes of different characters.