Paws and Prose: The Third Person Narrative

Third Person is a great writing tool, but did you know that it is split into sub-narrations? This post discusses these narrations and how to use them.

I consider myself more of a screenwriter than a prose writer, but I do write prose. One of the hardest decisions I think a writer has to make is the type of narrative they write in. A story in first person will display certain characters and events differently to the same story in third person, but even in third person, there are different ways to work with the narrative. There are three main types of third person narrative:

• limited
• objective
• omniscient

Third Person Limited Narrative

Limited first person narrative follows one character, the protagonist, and sees the world from his eyes. It may even suggest his feelings at some point. This is seen in books like The Windvale Sprites written by Mackenzie Crooks.

With heart thumping, Asa dipped his fingers into the water and underneath the creature. It was all he could do to stop freaking out as he lifted it out of the pond and deposited it onto the bank, quick as he could.

The Windvale Sprites by Mackenzie Crook

And Leigh Bardugo also finds a way to slip into her character’s thoughts and feelings Wonder Woman: Warbringer:

I don’t need luck, she told herself. I have a plan. She glanced down the row of Amazons gathered at the starting line like troops readying for war and amended, But a little luck wouldn’t hurt either.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Third Person Limited offers a less biased view of characters in comparison to first person but is still close enough to one character to let the readers know what that character is feeling.

This is adjustable. In slow scenes where there is not much threat, the character’s thoughts and feelings will probably be illustrated on a regular basis. Faster, action-packed scenes will see the character’s thoughts and feelings cut to match the action.

Writing using Third Person Limited

To write good Third Person Limited, think of it as first person but with a bit more scoop in terms of observing. In third person limited, you can describe the room and even the character in a way you cannot in first person.

No one says: “my sapphire blue eyes shone as I thought about today’s school trip” when describing themselves, but a writer can say: “her eyes shone like sapphires in the light, excited about today’s school trip.”

Alright, that may be a bit cliché, but it gets the point across.

While this narrative gives you more range in terms of discriptions, some things stay the same. For example, your character’s knowledge would be limited in the same way it would be in first person. The reader’s would know something only when the character knew it.

In the bag, in the vault was a red stone that Harry later finds out is the philosopher stone, an elixir of life, previously owned by the philosopher, Nicolas Flamel.

It doesn’t have the same ring to it, especially as a lot of the plot is surrounding this stone, as well as Harry’s challenges in his new wizarding school.

So limited point of view works well if the writer needs the character to discover knowledge. It works to show emotions in a similar way to first person, but can also be distant enough to show events in an unbiased way.

Objective Narrative

This one is almost in between limited and omniscient. An objective third person follows the main character or characters, but it does not give insight into thoughts or feelings in the same way limited or omniscient can.

I tend not to use this one often, but the benefits of it would be vivid imagery as the author would have to insure the characters act each emotion or imply thoughts in a clever way.

He picked up two heavy bags and carried them around the station to the other tracks. He looked up the tracks but could not see the train.

Earnest Hemmingway’s Hills like White Elephants

However, because of it’s observant tendency, the readers are distanced from the characters, and the writing can sometimes, but certainly not always, feel dry.

Many authors have made fantastic use of this narrative, including Raymond Carver.

To do well in this narrative, the author needs to produces as much as show don’t tell as possible. Exposition can only come through dialogue due to the very nature of the narrative.

Omniscient Narrative

This is my favourite third person narrative. It’s seen in the Game of Thrones series. The readers are not tied to one character, but rather multiple. Each characters’ thoughts and feelings are noted. There is not always a clear protagonist and reader’s knowledge may extend the characters.

Robb thought he was a wildling, his sword sworn to Manace Ryder, the King Beyond the wall. It made Bran’s skin prickle to think about it.

George R. R. Martin A Song of Fire and Ice

Game of Thrones is a classic example of this. Readers will know that one character did something that another character does not know about. The drama and engagement for the reader then is to see how this pans out.

This narrative works best with complex stories where multiple points of view would be useful. It could also be used to show what two or more protagonists think about the world and situations they find themselves in.

I personally feel it adds depth to a story as each character is drawn out and developed.

There is very little or no limit to the author’s language or voice. Because the author is not tied to a character, the author can also add information that is not the point of view of any of the characters. Additionally, the author can develop on the scenes or actions in a way that a limited point of view could not offer, making the imagery vivid.

This narrative is challenging as you need to make each character’s perspective unique to their voice. It’s no good all the characters sounding the same, because they won’t be the same. Additionally, the story needs to be engaging through conflict as quiet often the suspense of not knowing is short-lived through omniscient narration.

Advantages of the Third Person Narrative

Less chance the story will appear repetitive

Unlike first person narrative, a third person narrative has a variety of ways to draw attention to the main character and other characters. The first person pronouns I, Me, My are only used in dialogue. Instead, they are referred to by their name or third person pronouns, usually she, he, and they. They can also be referred to by their job title or other descriptive noun:

• The Queen
• The mother / father
• The daughter / son
• The old lady / old man
• The Coroner
• The baby…

This variety of ways to address the main character or characters prevents the repetitiveness of the I pronoun found in first person narrative.

Have a go yourself. Write a short story between 200-300 words. Within this story are two characters that share the same pronoun. Think of ways to differentiate between them.

Detachment From The Self

Often, when writing in first person, an author can put a lot of themselves into their characters. Its natural. We are the I. Writing in third person may help encourage a detachment from the self and create characters that are unique. This is simply because the third person pronoun puts the author in the observer seat and not in the full mind of the character.

This can help to build characters that are strong, believable and authentic with their own unique voice, way of moving and way of talking.

Disadvantages of Third Person Narrative

An overuse of third person pronouns can cause confusion to what character is being referred to. This happens when there are two or more characters that share the same pronoun, such as She. Have a look at the classic example below:

• “The mother hit her daughter because she was drunk.”
• “The daughter was drunk, so the mother hit her.”
• The mother, who was drunk, hit her daughter”

In the first sentence, it is unclear who is drunk. The daughter is drunk in second sentence, so the mother punishes the daughter by hitting her. In the final sentence, the drunk mother hits her daughter.

By using descriptive pronouns and different syntax, we made it clear who is actually drunk. Have a look in the 200-300 word story you wrote. Are there any similar sentences to the first? Can you make it clearer?

Another disadvantage can be the lack of ability to always show what the main character is thinking and planning. Although a detachment to the character can be a good thing, it also means there is a limited amount of access and knowledge that the narrator has access to. The Narrator may be able to slip into the mind of the character for a moment or two, but nothing more than that.

Additionally, writers may find themselves slipping from one third person narrative to another without realising. This can make their work seem awkward or break the flow of the story.

Should I Write in Third Person Narrative?

Only you can answer that. Have an experiment, see which one you feel works best. Third Person Narrative may take some practice if you are not used to it, so don’t give up on your first go. Maybe start with a short story or a short extract and then redraft it to see how it feels.

Narrative Examples

Xena stamped her foot on the ground and the people ran from her. They hid behind trees and fences as she raised her foot again. A smirk spread across her face as she threatened to bring her foot crashing down again. It brought her pleasure to know she created so much fear.

“Now, where is he?”

Third Person Limited

Xena stamped her foot on the ground, just like Greg knew she would. He, like many others, hid behind a tree as Xena raised a foot once more. He thought about giving himself up, revealing himself to her, but then he wouldn’t be much help to anybody. Greg saw a smirk spread across Xena’s face as she threatened to bring her foot crashing down again. It brought her pleasure to know she created so much fear.

“Now, where is he?” Xena asked.

Third Person Omniscient

I stamped my foot on the ground and watched with pure enjoyment as the people ran for cover. I felt a smirk twitch across my face as peering eyes shone with fear; my foot hovering 6 inches above the ground.

“Now where is he?” I asked.

First Person Narrative.

Each of these have a different affect. Each gives us a little information and more questions.

#1 and #3 ask: Why are people afraid of Xena’s foot? Who is she after?

While #2 asks: who or what is the man meant to be helping and why does Xena want to stop him?

Only by experimenting can you see which narrative is right for you. I personally prefer third person narrative, but experimentation is always good. I hope you enjoyed this post. Feel free to follow me on social media.