Narrator, Voice & Tone Narrator, Voice & Tone The Narrator - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Narrator, Voice & Tone Narrator, Voice & Tone

The Narrator The Narrator When you read a story, the narrator —the person telling the story—controls everything you know about the characters and events.

The Narrator The Narrator A writer’s choice of a narrator determines the point of view of the story—the vantage point from which the story is told. The three main points of view are • omniscient • first person • third person limited

Omniscient Point of View Omniscient Point of View When the om niscient point of view is used, the narrator • is not a character in the story • knows all • can tell us everything about every character

Omniscient Point of View Omniscient Point of View How can you Quick Check tell this is an One day a young woman looked out her omniscient apartment window and saw a man narrator? playing a saxophone. “Cool,” she thought as she swayed to his tune. A big brown dog joined the man and howled along with the music. Then a man in pajamas yelled from another window, complaining that the noise woke him up and he was going to call the police. This man, who worked the night shift and had to sleep all day, liked cats better than dogs anyway. The young saxophonist left.

Omniscient Point of View Omniscient Point of View How can you Quick Check tell this is an One day a young woman looked out her omniscient apartment window and saw a man narrator? playing a saxophone. “Cool,” she thought as she swayed to his tune. A The narrator big brown dog joined the man and isn’t a character howled along with the music. in the story. Then a man in pajamas yelled from The narrator another window, complaining that the knows what noise woke him up and he was going to multiple characters are call the police. This man, who worked doing, thinking, the night shift and had to sleep all day, and feeling. liked cats better than dogs anyway. The young saxophonist left.

First- -Person Point of View Person Point of View First A first-person narrator • is a character in the story • uses first-person pronouns such as I and me • tells us only what he or she thinks and experiences

First- -Person Point of View Person Point of View First Always question whether a first- person narrator is credible, or can be trusted. An unreliable narrator is biased and does not (or cannot) tell the truth.

First- -Person Point of View Person Point of View First How can you Quick Check tell this is a first- person narrator? Oh, man! Just as I was finally dozing off, he starts playing that stupid saxophone. I’ve already been fired from one job because I fell asleep on the night shift. Now it’s going to happen Do you think this again. I don’t know which sounds narrator’s opinion worse, that tone-deaf saxophonist or of the music is that yowling dog. I’m going to call the reliable? Why or police. why not?

First- -Person Point of View Person Point of View First Quick Check How can you tell this is a first- Oh, man! Just as I was finally dozing person narrator? off, he starts playing that stupid saxophone. I’ve already been fired from one job because I fell asleep on the He uses the night shift. Now it’s going to happen pronoun I and again. I don’t know which sounds tells only his worse, that tone-deaf saxophonist or own thoughts that yowling dog. I’m going to call the and feelings. police.

First- -Person Point of View Person Point of View First Quick Check Do you think this narrator’s opinion Oh, man! Just as I was finally dozing of the music is off, he starts playing that stupid reliable? Why or saxophone. I’ve already been fired from why not? one job because I fell asleep on the night shift. Now it’s going to happen No. He’s probably too again. I don’t know which sounds concerned about worse, that tone-deaf saxophonist or getting sleep to enjoy that yowling dog. I’m going to call the music. police.

Third- -Person Person- -Limited Point of View Limited Point of View Third When the third-person-lim ited point of view is used, the narrator • gives one character’s thoughts and reactions • uses third-person pronouns ( he, she, they ) • tells little about other characters

Third- -Person Person- -Limited Point of View Limited Point of View Third How can you tell Quick Check this is a third- He found a good spot in front of Park person-limited View Apartments and started playing narrator? soulfully on his sax. He wanted an audience and needed money. After one song, he spotted a cute girl at a window, applauding madly. A dog What is this howled with the music, but the sax narrator’s player let him stay, hoping the dog reaction to the might attract some donations. Then he dog? to the heard a man yelling about calling the yelling man? police—clearly not a music lover.

Third- -Person Person- -Limited Point of View Limited Point of View Third How can you tell Quick Check this is a third- He found a good spot in front of Park person-limited View Apartments and started playing narrator? soulfully on his sax. He wanted an audience and needed money. After one song, he spotted a cute girl at a window, applauding madly. A dog What is this howled with the music, but the sax narrator’s player let him stay, hoping the dog reaction to the might attract some donations. Then he dog? to the heard a man yelling about calling the yelling man? police—clearly not a music lover.

Third- -Person Person- -Limited Point of View Limited Point of View Third How can you tell Quick Check this is a third- He found a good spot in front of Park person-limited View Apartments and started playing narrator? soulfully on his sax. He wanted an audience and needed money. After one The story is told from song, he spotted a cute girl at a the sax player’s window, applauding madly. A dog vantage point using howled with the music, but the sax the pronoun he. We player let him stay, hoping the dog don’t know what might attract some donations. Then he other characters are thinking. heard a man yelling about calling the police—clearly not a music lover.

Third- -Person Person- -Limited Point of View Limited Point of View Third Quick Check He found a good spot in front of Park What is this View Apartments and started playing narrator’s soulfully on his sax. He wanted an reaction to the audience and needed money. After one dog? to the song, he spotted a cute girl at a yelling man? window, applauding madly. A dog howled with the music, but the sax He thinks the dog player let him stay, hoping the dog can help him. He might attract some donations. Then he thinks the man heard a man yelling about calling the hates music. police—clearly not a music lover.

Tone Tone Tone is the attitude a speaker or writer takes toward a subject, character, or audience. A story’s tone can be hum orous gloom y suspenseful

Voice Voice Voice is the writer’s distinctive use of language and his or her overall style. • The writer’s tone and choice of words ( diction) help create the voice. In fiction, narrators can also be said to have a voice. • A narrator’s voice can affect our view of characters and events.

Voice Voice Notice how a distinctive voice can influence our views of certain characters. • What impression do you get of the saxophone player? Which words contribute to this effect? Oh, man! Just as I was finally dozing off, he starts playing that stupid saxophone. I’ve already been fired from one job because I fell asleep on the night shift. Now it’s going to happen again. I don’t know which sounds worse, that tone- deaf saxophonist or that yowling dog. I’m going to call the police.

Practice Practice Write a paragraph telling the saxophone story from the point of view of the young woman or the big brown dog. Use either the first-person or the third-person-limited point of view, and try to create a distinctive voice. Remember to show what the character is thinking and feeling.

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