Dead Narrative Sources in lit (PoV)

[ftah3]

No: HPFGUIDX 31204

Cornflower O'Shea wrote:
>       So here we have a moment when the POV is still third person, 
> but the tone shifts to one that an 11 year old boy would use. It is 
> not Harry speaking, but the narrator shifts into his style of 
> speaking. We get his feelings, his empathy with the snake, without 
> his actually voice. I find this profoundly compelling. The third 
> person narrative is generally more trustworthy, (unless used 
> ironically, like in the case of Uncle Vernon), whereas first-person 
> narration often tends to make us question the speaker, because we 
> know that whoever is speaking is blinded by their own perspective. 
> However in this quote, and throughout the books, we almost get 
first 
> person, but the narrative remains, technically, third person.
>        Stylistically it is quite a sophisticated way to win us over 
> to Harry side; to develop a strong empathtic bond between the 
reader 
> and Harry. It is very cleverly written, IMHO.

Absolutely clever! I really enjoy Rowling's writing style, including 
her use of narrative.  

I believe also that the fact that POV *is* third person, though in a 
sympathetic/opinionated form, is used to do some things besides 
nurture the bond between the reader and Harry.  

It's used to give the reader a broader perspective.  It allows the 
reader to either stay completely within the Harry-centric realm of 
understanding (i.e., see no further than sympathy with Harry nor the 
scope of his own vision), or else move beyond what Harry sees and 
understands at any given moment to what may be occuring in the big 
picture.

On one hand, that comes into play when the focus is on a different 
character entirely, i.e. Uncle Vernon or the Riddle's groundskeeper.  
The reader benefits from exposition Harry misses; it gives *us* 
clues, or background, even if things remain more mysterious to the 
hero.

Additionally, we (the readers) have the opportunity to make note of 
details noted in passing by Harry's narrator.  Generally, we see what 
Harry sees, but occasionally (and beg pardon for not having an actual 
example on hand; I'm at work) the narrator gives us a nudge, while at 
the same time noting that Harry has completely overlooked a 
significant detail.

Also, I think the narrative style goes a long way in making the story 
accessible to both a wide variety of age groups.  The use of 
descriptors, verbs, brevity of statements, etc. is such a wonderful 
blend of simplistic and mature, but in a way that doesn't dumb it 
down for anyone.  It's as if a child or young adult and an adult were 
conversing as if each is smart enough to understand the other ~ 
granting different levels of understanding, but still mutual 
intelligence.  Er, if that makes any sense.  At any rate, I think 
that would have been much, much harder to pull off using 
straight 'omniscient' third person narrative or straight first person 
narrative, because both would have been too limiting in terms of 
characterization scope.

Mahoney