POV problem

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starrykitten

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Hi all--

I ran into a problem re: POV for a story I'm currently outlining.

I kind of want the story to be narrated by this woman's neighbor, to include the neighbor's observations about the woman. I want to do this because the woman the neighbor watches wants to be someone who seems so very perfect from the outside--it's all about external observation upon her. So I thought it would be cool to show someone looking at her literally through a window and still picking up all these insights about her.

However, there are a lot of things that I want to include as part of this woman's characterization that there's no way her neighbor could know. These things include feelings, moments from her past, stray thoughts.

Is there a way to have it both ways?
 

blacbird

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Is there a way to have it both ways?

No. Not really. But you also need to be resistant to the temptation to relate every character's thoughts, feeling, etc. Some of the most effective narration I can think of, for the reader, is strict single-POV stuff based on observation, and interpretation (sometimes incorrect) thereof. A famous example is the novel Rear Window, by the greatly underestimated and underread Cornell Woolrich. made into a classic movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Another, a short story by Julio Cortázar, titled "Blow-Up", also made into a famous movie. Both these involve an observer thinking he might have seen a murder, but isn't quite sure.

Point being: You don't need to tell the reader everything. Readers want to be engaged in the experience of the story. At best, it's an interactive experience. Don't succumb to the temptation to explain everything. Narrate.

caw
 
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Jamesaritchie

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Third person limtited would work well. So would alternating scenes of first person and third person. I wouldn't go with omniscient, though. That would defeat the whole point of the story.

Anyway, sure, of course you can have it both ways. Just switch POV with alternating scenes. One scene from the woman's POV, then one from the neighbor's POV, back and forth. Use the scenes to show the contrast between what the woman actually is, and how the neighbor sees her.
 
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Jinsune

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This is just my wacky idea, but have you tried alternating between omniscient and first person. Just break the narration up, so that it's a bit clear. Of course, it might be difficult to pull off, and the work might come across as clunky.

It would be a make it or break it thing, probably.
 

Jamesaritchie

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This is just my wacky idea, but have you tried alternating between omniscient and first person. Just break the narration up, so that it's a bit clear. Of course, it might be difficult to pull off, and the work might come across as clunky.

It would be a make it or break it thing, probably.

The trouble with omniscient is that an omniscient narrator knows everything about every character. It would defeat teh purpose of this story, unless you cheated with the omniscient narrator.

Third person limited and first person would work, but using omniscient does away with the need for a first person narrator.
 

Ken

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"You can't have your cake and eat it too."

Well OK. You can, but if you do then you lose some of the affect you're trying for.

So I'd try from the neighbors's POV. And maybe you'll find that other stuff you wanna include really isn't needed for this story. Only one way to find out for sure.
 

Jinsune

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The trouble with omniscient is that an omniscient narrator knows everything about every character. It would defeat teh purpose of this story, unless you cheated with the omniscient narrator.

Third person limited and first person would work, but using omniscient does away with the need for a first person narrator.

You think it might work if it was limited omniscient? I had that in mind when I said that. Sorry, I should've clarified.:D
 

SeaSerpent

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It should be possible to show the reader what a character is feeling when viewed from another character's POV, even if you have your POV character mis-interpereting the signals. Are there any other devices you can use to bring in the information you need about the other character? Alternatively write the story with two POVs but be careful not to start headhopping between the two.
 

Bolder

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you can use two points of view as well, and go back and forth between them, if you don't want to use the third person for whatever reason.
 
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