With seven kids to her credit, my mother often heard different versions of the same story–particularly when it involved broken toys, stray animals, or rocks hurtling toward my sister’s head. When I told my story, I know my version was the most relevant, if not the most reliable. It was my story with me telling it, and I told from the first person point of view (POV).
First person is the natural storytelling POV for our personal stories. Consequently, most new writers start with first person POV. The beauty of first person POV is the intimacy I share with my readers. I can delve in the deepest recesses of my twisted psyche to convey my most debauched imagining. Or my stomach can flutter with the ache of seasoned love. Whether my heart is pounding or breaking, I can describe it to the reader in vivid hi-def detail.
But the first person narrator, like me with my mother, may not be forthcoming with all the facts. And what I remember, may not line up with the unmitigated truth. So I can’t always be trusted. Hmm, that statement should conjure many possibilities to any writer with a sharp quill.
First person POV has limitations. For example, unless the narrator performs some end-of-story sleight-of-hand, I know the narrator will still be alive at the end of the tale. Otherwise, how could the narrator narrate? Maybe that’s fine for a romance novel, but it lessens the zing of a mystery.
And everybody has to follow me around. If I go to the airport and sell daisies, we all go to the airport and sell daisies. The reader is in lock-step with my exposure to the story. I can’t know about the drooling guy behind me with the hammer. If I’m tied to the railroad track, no one can know that–back at the ranch–Mike is rustling up a posse to take out the Horton gang and rescue little-old-me from the No. 7 bearing down on my midriff. I don’t know it, so my reader can’t be better informed than me.
First person POV is another devise I can use to tell my tale. Some stories work better in a particular POV. If I’m fascinating, my reader will follow me anywhere. If I’m not, well, it probably doesn’t matter in which POV it’s written.
Is the novel you’re reading written in first person? What’s your favorite story written first person? If you have any questions, drop us a comment.
p.s. Photo by chispita_66
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Nice article. I think first person immediately strikes a chord with most readers as we’re all intrinscally self-obsessed and also there’s that voyeuristic element of peeping inside another human’s workings. With third person theres always an element of distance/detachment.
That said I enjoy books from shifting POV – and I’ve read some interesting stories where despite being first person, the way things unfold or end is quite unexpected!
Glad to find your blog and so pleased you came by mine. Thanks for the SITS love!
Ha ha! You may be right about the self-obsessed part. We certainly are nosy. A good read is a good read, regardless of the POV. I appreciate your comments. Thanks for being here!