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Post by Dominique on Dec 26, 2006 5:34:50 GMT -5
I was wondering what everyone prefers with what person a book is told in and what kind of narrator you like having if you like first person. We talked about this in creative writing class earlier this year and the teacher said that omnicient (who know everything that's going on, that went on, that happened in people's heads) narrators in the first person can irritate the reader and make them feel like they're being told what to think. What do you guys think of that idea? What is your preference?
What made me think of this topic of discussion is the book I'm reading at the moment "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusac, which as I've said on other boards is narrated by the mythological character of death. Because death is an immortal godlike kind of character he is an omnicient narrator and tells you everything people think all the time, as well as things that happen in the future outside of the story's current time frame. While I think it's very creative that the story is told by the perspective of death, and interesting learning what happens in the future to some of the characters, I have to admit he's starting to get a bit annoying. That said I am still enjoying the book.
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Bina
First novel published
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Post by Bina on Dec 26, 2006 7:53:10 GMT -5
It certainly sounds interesting, never read with such a perspective. I prefer first person limited or third person omniscient narrator. They are really opposite perspectives but I like know everything or just put myself in one person´s situation.
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Post by Dominique on Dec 26, 2006 7:57:43 GMT -5
They are my two favourites as well. Third person omniscient doesn't really get annoying because all the info is told but not from one character who gets irritating. I like first person as well because it's good seeing through another person's eyes and getting inside their head and stuff.
Second person can be good in poetry or prose, but I've never seen it used in a book. Can anyone think of one that uses second person?
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Bina
First novel published
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Post by Bina on Dec 26, 2006 8:02:35 GMT -5
I guess that would be some letters as chapters but don´t think I ever read a whole book like that. Would be interesting.
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Post by Dominique on Dec 26, 2006 8:06:20 GMT -5
yeah it would be interesting to see how it works. I think books that mix the perspectives by putting letters and extracts of other things and passages by other characters can make for a more interesting read sometimes.
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Dec 26, 2006 8:17:49 GMT -5
That´s true. I liked the sandman by e.t.a. hoffmann, there was an omniscient reader, letters and parts where the narrator directly adressed the reader.
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Isa
Administrator 
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Post by Isa on Dec 26, 2006 10:09:10 GMT -5
I agree with you two, I prefer a first person limited narrator or third person omniscient narrator. I also like it when there are more than one narrator, it makes the story more challenging to read. I can't think of a novel with a second person narrator, but it would be interesting to read one. I think it's a style that works great in short stories, but for an entire novel to be written that way, it would take quite a skilled author to pull it off!
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Post by Dominique on Dec 26, 2006 17:59:03 GMT -5
that said though the constant change of narrative perspective got very confusing in Faulkners "As I Lay Dying", every short chapter was told from the perspective of a different character. It was a great book though!
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Isa
Administrator
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Post by Isa on Dec 26, 2006 19:09:26 GMT -5
Yeah, that's why I think this technique is more challenging for the reader because it always takes a few words or even a few sentences before you can figure out who the narrator is, and then you sort of have to tune in your mind, if that makes any sense..!
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Post by Dominique on Dec 26, 2006 19:13:12 GMT -5
yeah I know what you mean, and you have to read the book in slabs rather than in small sittings or you get confused.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
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Post by Kristie on Dec 26, 2006 19:41:39 GMT -5
i read the book smack by melvin burgess a few years ago and it was interesting the way the book was set up. it was narrated in first person and each chapter was a different person in this group of 4 or 5 kids doing drugs in england. it was interesting because you got to see the different takes on drug use and such. but it could get a bit confusing if you forget whose chapter it is.
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Dec 27, 2006 7:59:14 GMT -5
Different perspectives are great. That´s what I liked about my sisters keeper.
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czarval
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
Posts: 607
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Post by czarval on Jan 3, 2007 1:35:13 GMT -5
I only like different perspectives if they let you know there's going to be a switch. I read a lot of books at one time, and switching without telling me throws me off.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Jan 3, 2007 15:58:53 GMT -5
There was switching in The Girls by Lori Lansens. It was a pretty good book and I think both perspectives helped it.
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bookworm148
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of a sky of a tree called life."
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Post by bookworm148 on Feb 1, 2007 23:14:33 GMT -5
Posted by: Jefie
Re: Narration/Perspective
« Reply #6 on Dec 26, 2006, 9:09am »
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I agree with you two, I prefer a first person limited narrator or third person omniscient narrator. I also like it when there are more than one narrator, it makes the story more challenging to read. I can't think of a novel with a second person narrator, but it would be interesting to read one. I think it's a style that works great in short stories, but for an entire novel to be written that way, it would take quite a skilled author to pull it off!
I agree. I like knowing everything that's going on, but it's nice to mix it up every once in a while as well.
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