POINT OF VIEW IN CRIME FICTION

Who is telling the story? Is he/she also the protagonist or an observer?

Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird

Nick in The Great Gatsby Is he/she reliable?

How many POV characters is too few/too many? Which characters know too little to drive the story/or know too much and might spoil the story?

TYPES: FIRST PERSON POV: The “I” Character Advantages: Close tie to reader Narrator is the “Star”

Good for mysteries-reader learns as the I character does

Disadvantages: I character must be present Can lead to

awkward plotting

Can’t supply suspenseful information to reader Not good for

thrillers

SECOND PERSON POV: The “You” character—very tricky to use

THIRD PERSON POV: The “He/She” Character

SINGLE: Similar to First person except he/she is used Similar Advantages/Disadvantages as First Person

MULTIPLE: Jumping from head to head Allows reader to get inside several characters Allows reader to have “Superior Knowledge”--Suspense Great for thrillers

CLOSE: Camera in character’s head DISTANT: Camera external and watching the action These distances aren’t either/or but rather a continuum. The “camera” can shift along a line from far behind or above the character to inside the character’s head.

OMNISCIENT POV: The AUTHOR as GOD Jump from head to head at will Can be confusing Requires more writing skill than seems apparent

MIX & MATCH: Can combine POVs if you are good and careful