【4.1】 POINT OF VIEW:THE NARRATIVE VOICE A story must have a plot,character,and setting.It must also have a storyteller:a narrative voice,real or implied,that presents the story to the reader.When we talk about narrative voice,we are talking about point of view,the method of narration that determines the position,or angel of vision,from which the story is told.The nature of the relationship between the narrator and the story,the teller and the tale,is always crucial to the art of fiction.It governs the reader's access to the story and determines just how much he can know at any given moment about what is taking place.So crucial is point of view that,once having been chosen,it will color and shape the way in which everything else is presented and perceives,including plot,characters,and setting.Alter or change the point of view,and you alter and change the story Various Points Of View First Person The choice of point of view is the choice of who is to tell the story,who talks to the reader.Perhaps the first choice might be,"let the protagonist tell his or her own story."In making this choice,the author decides to employ the first person point of view,as in the following opening paragraph of James Baldwin's Sunny Blues. I read about it in the paper,in the subway,on my way to work.I read it,and I couldn't believe it,and I read it again.Then perhaps I stared at it,at the newsprint spelling out his name,spelling out the story.I stared at it in the swinging lights of the subway car,and in the faces and bodies of the people,and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside. In selecting such a vantage point to present the action,the writer enjoys a number of advantages.First,he creates an immediate sense of reality.Because we are listening to the testimony of someone who was present at the events described,we are【4.1】 POINT OF VIEW: THE NARRATIVE VOICE A story must have a plot, character, and setting. It must also have a storyteller: a narrative voice, real or implied, that presents the story to the reader. When we talk about narrative voice, we are talking about point of view, the method of narration that determines the position, or angel of vision, from which the story is told. The nature of the relationship between the narrator and the story, the teller and the tale, is always crucial to the art of fiction. It governs the reader’s access to the story and determines just how much he can know at any given moment about what is taking place. So crucial is point of view that, once having been chosen, it will color and shape the way in which everything else is presented and perceives, including plot, characters, and setting. Alter or change the point of view, and you alter and change the story Various Points Of View First Person The choice of point of view is the choice of who is to tell the story, who talks to the reader. Perhaps the first choice might be, “let the protagonist tell his or her own story.” In making this choice, the author decides to employ the first person point of view, as in the following opening paragraph of James Baldwin’s Sunny Blues. I read about it in the paper, in the subway, on my way to work. I read it, and I couldn’t believe it, and I read it again. Then perhaps I stared at it, at the newsprint spelling out his name, spelling out the story. I stared at it in the swinging lights of the subway car, and in the faces and bodies of the people, and in my own face, trapped in the darkness which roared outside. In selecting such a vantage point to present the action, the writer enjoys a number of advantages. First, he creates an immediate sense of reality. Because we are listening to the testimony of someone who was present at the events described, we are