5/9/2023 0 Comments Omniscient narrator definitionPlay with dramatic ironyīecause the omniscient narrator can know something that the viewpoint characters do not, it allows the author to use dramatic irony in their story. Pratchett’s omniscient narrator is not unreliable and can comment heavily on the events and characters of his books. These details are completely incidental and would almost certainly never make it into the final draft of a book written from limited or first person POVs. In this passage from a Discworld novel, Pratchett goes on a tangent about the Bursar of the wizarding university: Pratchett’s narrator even uses footnotes like you would see in a non-fiction book, often to sneak in extra jokes. The tone they adopted in the Discworld and Hitchhiker’s Guide novels could be likened to that of a historian, relating details of their worlds using narrative asides. ![]() Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams both wrote using omniscient narrators. These narrators aren’t technically characters, but their narration will be distinctive from the voices of characters inside the story. Writing with an omniscient narrator allows the author to create a persona of sorts, who sits outside the story's world. ![]() This particular moment is not possible with any other type of viewpoint. With this brilliant example of show, don’t tell, we can see the strength of their connection in its quietest, most private expressions. The fact that, unbeknownst to each other, both Ennis and Jack look for each other during the day, demonstrates how they are present in each other’s thoughts. In this passage from Annie Proulx’s "Brokeback Mountain," we are privy to two separate, private moments of longing. This gives the author plenty of room to experiment with the pacing of the story and presents a unique opportunity to delve into the psychology of multiple characters. The power of omniscience is such that the narrator can slip into the minds of several characters, simultaneously or in turn. ![]() Click to tweet! It can conduct multiple character studies
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