《英语短篇小说选读》讲义(第四周)(2) (2)

Omniscient point of view
• Definition: a narrator knows everything about all the characters. (all-knowing) • Such a narrator is free to move and to comment at will, and can tell us what characters say and do as well as their thoughts and feelings. • E.g. Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”
Today’s Agenda
—Continued study on story 2
—Free discussion —Unit 2 point of view (I)
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Benefits: • Readers see events from the perspective of an important character • Readers often understand the main character better Detriments: • The narration is tightly controlled and limited in its access to information. • Readers see only one perspective
Limited omniscient point of view
• Definition: The knowledge is restricted to one character. • What the reader learns about the events in a story is always restricted to what the narrator can see or know. • Stream of consciousness (20th century)
Story 2 Discussion
Analysis on the plot unreliable narrative —paradox —exaggeration —unconventionality
—actual v.s. imagination
Story 2 Discussion
Analysis on the plot stages of the plot Crisis: part I—inverted order preparation for the execution
motionless; stonily; silent; statue;
Exposition & complication: part II— flashback/retrospect a Federal scout Falling action & Resolution: part III—unreliable narrative & surprising
First-person point-of-view
• Definition: The narrators who participate in the action tell their stories in their own voices with their particular knowledge or vision of the action. • Depending on the involvement with the events of the plot, the first-person narrator can be either a major or minor character of a story.
Third person point of view
• Third-person narrator does not appear as a character in a story. • Third-person narrator may see into the minds of all characters, a single character, or none of the characters but merely describes events from the outside. • A) omniscient point of view • B) limited omniscient point of view • C) objective or dramatic point of view
—Young Goodman Brown
Definition:
• A point of view is a standpoint from which the narrator sees the story and how he intends the reader to see the story. • Narrator: A narrator is the one who tells the story, often called the storyteller. (The narrator is not necessary the novelist.)
Chapter 2 Point of View
Definition of point of view Functions of point of view Categories of point of view Ways to analyze the point of view
You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. (narrator)
Omniscient point of view
• Advantage: all-knowing narrator retains full control over the narrative and directs the readers to where he leads them. • Disadvantage: not lifelike; narrator knows and tells all;
• “I will wait for her in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy yesterday afternoon.” • “Sometimes I dream a dream in which Dee and I are suddenly brought together on a TV program of this sort.” • “In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands.” • “I never had an education myself. After second grade the school was closed down.”
Created with Haiku Deck
story 2 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
—Ambrose Bierce —Plot
Story 2 Discussion
Close-reading Part III Did he really experience floating down the stream pursued by his enemies and their shootings? Why do you say so?
—Adventures of Hucklebeery Finn
Young Goodman Brown came forth at sunset into the street at village; but put his head back, after crossing the threshold, to exchange a parting kiss with his young wife. (scene)
Instructor: Esther Lv
26th September, 2014
Week 4
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Created with Haiku Deck
By the narrator’s relationship with the character:
the first-person narrator & the third-person narrator
• In the first-person narrative, the narrator appears in the novel as “I” or “me”. • In the third-person narrative, the narrator does not actually appear and all the characters are referred to as “he” or “they”.
Limited omniscient point of view
• Advantage: It gives the impression that we are very close (focus) to the mind of that one character, though viewing it from a distance. • Disadvantage: Sometimes this narrator can be too focused or may impose his/ her own opinions with no grounds.
Functions of point of view
The person who tells a story, the narrator, inevitably influences our understanding of the characters’ actions by filtering what is told through his/her own perspective. By choosing a particular point of view, an author may decide how much the reader should know at any given moment about what is happening.
Categories of point of view
What are the factors determining the categories of point of view?
1 2
By the narrator’s relationship with the character
By the extent of the narrator’s knowledge of the events