Short on time? This page is the recap. For explanations and worked examples, use the full study guide.
Recap
- The narrator is the voice telling the story. It may be outside the story (third person) or a character in it (first person).
- Point of view is the position from which the story is told. The narrator’s perspective controls which details and emphases reach the reader.
- Narrative distance is how far the narrator stands from events and characters: physical, in time, in relationship, in emotional investment.
- Stream of consciousness relates a character’s thoughts as a continuous flow.
- A perspective is revealed by details, diction and syntax; descriptive words convey attitude as well as qualify.
- Tone is the attitude of a narrator, character or speaker towards an idea, character or situation; it emerges from perspective.
Key relationships
| Clue | Ask | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pronouns | First or third person? | “I had been and am” |
| Direct address | Is there a “you”? | “why will you say that I am mad?” |
| Time | Remembered or as it happens? | past tense with present claims |
| Details | What is noticed or omitted? | funeral skipped, carpet described |
| Diction | Which words carry attitude? | “dreadfully”, “calmly” |
| Syntax | What does sentence shape suggest? | dashes and exclamations suggest agitation |
| Distance | Typical effect |
|---|---|
| Close (inside a mind) | Intimacy, urgency, anxiety |
| Distant (summary, outside view) | Detachment, irony, perspective |
| Near in time | Immediacy |
| Far in time | Reflection, loss, wisdom or distortion |
Assumptions
- You attribute attitudes to the narrator, not the author.
- Tone needs a precise name and quoted evidence.
- Reliability is a separate question (Topics 6.4 and 7.4); do not assume unreliability from first person alone.
Mistakes to avoid
- Writing “the author feels” when you mean the narrator.
- Naming a tone with no words or sentence patterns to support it.
- Ignoring syntax.
- Treating distance as purely physical.
- Calling stream of consciousness careless writing.
Quick self-check
- A story says “She watched the rain and wondered whether he would write.” Who is the narrator likely to be, and how close?
- What does a long unpunctuated sentence suggest in a stream-of-consciousness passage?
- Why might “starved dog” convey a different perspective from “lean dog”?
- What is the difference between narrator and author?
Answers. (1) A third-person narrator close to the woman’s thoughts (limited distance). (2) Thoughts flowing without pause: urgency, anxiety or reverie. (3) “Starved” implies suffering and pity; “lean” is neutral or admiring: diction conveys attitude. (4) The author writes the text; the narrator is the voice inside it that tells the story.
Sentence frames to adapt
- “The first-person narrator addresses [who] directly, so the reader [effect].”
- “The narrator stands [close to / far from] [character], which lets the reader [see thoughts / see only actions].”
- “The [adjective or verb] conveys a [tone] perspective because [connotation].”
- “The [short, broken / long, flowing] sentences suggest [state of mind], which supports [claim].”
Check each frame against a real passage: fill every gap with a quotation or a precise word, never with a general phrase.
Ready for more? Try the practice questions and then the checklist.