I'm working on a bit of an issue. There is a story I'm working on where the story needs to be told in first person narrative, but I want to start the story with limited 3rd person: deep penetration. So how should this be transistioned? The goal is to sink the reader into the main character, leading the rest of the story to be told by her exclusively. The reason is that I feel the need to show her obsessiveness and for that 3rd person seems best before taking the reader completely into her mind. Any suggestions?
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
You are probably better off staying in third person throughout. First person seems like it would be closer to being inside the character's head, but you in fact distance the reader.
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
Make the transition at a section break (or a chapter break). There needs to be a clear break, though.
"This is a section in 3rd person," Gerald said. He looked over his shoulder but didn't see any monkeys. He reached out and grabbed Celeste's hand. "I love you!"
###
Saturday afternoon, I was making a peanut butter sandwich when I saw a monkey out of the corner of my eye. "Run!" I shouted to Celeste. "We're in first person now, so you're on your own."
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
oh, spaceman snuck in ahead of me, with sound advice.
But if you *do* need to change POV, do it at a break.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
JmariC, are you aiming for the unreliable narrator? I'm guessing that's what you're doing since you are using 3rd to sink the reader into the main character, otherwise, as Spaceman says, there'd be no need to go to first.
Beth's advice is sound. Another option, potentially, is to have your main character begin telling her story to someone else, but this type of framing device only works in specific instances.
Posted by TheoPhileo (Member # 1914) on :
If the introductory section is short enough (and I would suggest you try to make it that way) set it in italics or a different font. When the font style changes, the reader immediately assumes a shift of some sort. This probably wouldn't be a good idea though, if the 3rd person section is more than a couple pages long. If it is, ask yourself if you _really_ need the shift.
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
I stop reading italics after more than a few sentences.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I don't stop reading the text, but I do start to discount the fact that it is italicized.
If the story itself needs to be told in first person, then you cannot start it with "3rd person: deep penetration". That is an absolute rule of first person, I'm afraid.
Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :
The only absolute rule is that there are no absolute rules...
Seriously, probably the only way to get around it is to have a prologue (or maybe occasional interpolated, clearly defined, short sections) in 3rd person while the main novel is the first person narrative.
In general, though, Survivor's right; once you're in first person, you should never leave...
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
That's the benefit of being a Sith Lord, you get to deal in absolutes Posted by apeiron (Member # 2565) on :
Can the character be recalling the situation? You can use long strings of first person in thoughts with deep penetration. The key is to make the shift natural--the reason the character is recounting an event to themselves in detail needs to be GOOD. If the reader doesn't notice, because the transition makes sense, then mission accomplished.
Posted by NewsBys (Member # 1950) on :
If they are just recalling it, then why not use 3rd. Unless, you are trying to hide info from the reader. Shame, shame.
You could do it if the character is NOT just recalling it to themselves. Here's an example that works because the MC is recalling the event to someone else.
In Mrs. Todd's Shortcut by Stephen King the story starts in 3rd from the POV of the MC's friend. Then the MC starts to tell his friend a story. The majority of the story is in 1st person because the MC is telling the story. It works because the POV doesn't really shift. It's like drawn out dialogue in which the friend never interrupts the story, and there are no breaks where the MC shifts in his chair, etc. The end of the story is in 3rd as the friend watches the MC get in the car with Mrs. Todd.
Posted by apeiron (Member # 2565) on :
What I mean is that you DO effectively stay in 3rd person, but your sentences are written in first person. Again, this looks like a device to switch perspective if it doesn't fit in with your story, but if the reader doesn't notice the transition to a long stream of thought--because it seems natural--then you can do it.
Posted by JmariC (Member # 2698) on :
Only the intro, or prolouge, would have 3rd person limited. Although there is a desire to have it omni, so that I can clearly shows what others think of the MC, but I'm going to avoid that. I figure 3rd person is as far outside as I should start and it would give me limited chance to show how others think she is a bit 'touched' before putting the reader in her view only. It's the sort of "when she was a child" opening, while the rest is 'myself on these adventures as an adult'.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
How long would the prologue be?
Posted by JmariC (Member # 2698) on :
Probably several pages. My first start at writing it would have been very long. I started using it as a way to describe the church and town she lived in, but I'm already cutting that out. I'm going to try to see if I can express it well enough in a two person interaction. If I can pull it off it would be probably 2 or 3 pages. I'm not sure how short I should aim for, I do want to use this as the one opportunity for her to be described from the outside.
