02024-002 Third-person limited point-of-view
The third-person limited point of view is the most often used in modern fiction. In this narrative perspective, the story is told by a narrator who is not a character in the story. The narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of one specific character (often the protagonist). This allows readers to gain insight into that character’s inner thoughts and emotions while maintaining some narrative distance.
Third-person limited point of view is popular in modern fiction for several reasons:
- Reader Engagement: It allows readers to connect more deeply with the protagonist by enabling them to understand their inner world, motivations, and struggles.
- Flexibility: It allows authors to shift the narrative focus from one character to another within the same story, providing a more comprehensive view of the events and characters.
- Character Development: Authors can explore complex character development by delving into a character’s thoughts and emotions.
- Maintaining Suspense: The limited perspective can create suspense and intrigue, as readers only know what the chosen character knows.
- Balancing Objectivity: It balances the objectivity of third-person omniscient (where the narrator knows everything about all characters) and the subjectivity of first-person (where the narrator is a character in the story).
While third-person limited is the most commonly used point of view in modern fiction, it’s important to note that authors still employ various narrative perspectives, depending on their storytelling goals and the specific needs of their narratives. First-person, third-person omniscient, and even second-person point of view (though less common) can all be found in contemporary literature, and authors may choose a particular point of view to achieve specific effects or connect with their audience in a certain way.