Narrative mode
The narrative mode (also known as the mode of narration) is the attribute of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical piece that describes the method used by the author(s) to convey their story to the audience. It encompasses several overlapping areas of concern, most importantly narrative point of view (also known as viewpoint), which determines the person whose the story is viewed through, and narrative voice, which determines how it is expressed to the audience.
The person whose point of view is used to relate the story is regarded as the "narrator," a character developed by the author for the specific purpose of conveying the story. The narrative point-of-view is meant to be the related experience of the character of this narrator - not that of the actual author (although, in some cases, especially in non-fiction, it is possible for the narrator and author to be the same person). In fiction, authors often do not inject their own voices, as this challenges the suspension of disbelief. Texts encourage the reader to identify with the narrator, not with the author.
Literary narration can occur from the first-person, second-person, or third-person point of view. In a novel, the first person is commonly used: "I saw, We did,", etc. In an encyclopedia or textbook narrators often work in the third person: "that happened, the king died", etc. For additional vagueness, imprecision, and detachment, some writers employ the passive voice: "it is said that the president was compelled to be heard...".
The narrative mode encompasses not only who tells the story, but also how the story is described or expressed, for example by using a stream of consciousness or unreliable narration.
The ability to use points of view effectively provides one measure of someone's writing ability. The writing mark schemes used for National Curriculum assessments in England reflect this: they encourage the awarding of marks for the use of viewpoint as part of a wider judgment regarding the composition and effect of the text.
- Wikipedia article: Narrative mode
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