Points of view in a narrative

After we have the setting,the plot, and the characters, the next consideration
is who will tell the story. There are two general points of view: a.internal point of
view and b.external point of view.

In the internal point of view, the story is told in the first person - the ‘I’
narrator. This is good for stories where action is predominant because when
something strange, striking or exciting happens we prefer to be told about it by the
one who dis it or saw it. This point of view is also good for stories of intense emotion
- no one can tell what or how one felt better than oneself.

The external point of view is the more popular point of view. The narrator is a
sort of all-knowing personality because he/she can follow the characters in all places
and knows what they feel and what are they thinking. This narrator can relate events
that happened simultaneously at different places and to different persons. Darkness
cannot dim his/her eyes, doors cannot lock him/her out.

Points of view in the short story

A short story may be told in the following points of vies:

1. The first person point of view. The story is told in the first person.
2. The omniscient point of view. Here the narrator assumes an all knowing attitude:
he/she knows even the innermost thoughts of all the characters and can probe into
their hearts. Most stories are in this point of view.
3. The third person point of view. The events given in the story are told objectively by
an onlooker.