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One of the most important decisions a writer makes is who tells the story and how it is told. Narrative voice shapes everything: what the reader knows, how they feel about characters, and how they interpret events. At A-Level, you must be able to identify different types of narration and, crucially, explain their effects.
The narrator is a character within the story, using "I" and "we." The reader sees events through this character's eyes and is limited to their knowledge and perspective.
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Creates intimacy and immediacy | Limited perspective — we only know what the narrator knows |
| Allows direct access to thoughts and feelings | May be biased or unreliable |
| Reader identifies closely with the narrator | Cannot show other characters' inner thoughts directly |
Example: In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, the first-person narration creates a powerful sense of Jane's inner life. The famous direct address — "Reader, I married him" — breaks the fourth wall and draws the reader into an intimate, confiding relationship with the narrator.
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