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Difficulty: EasyNarrative Technique and Point of View

Consider the following excerpt from a prose text:

"Obi watched his grandfather's face intently. He could see the deep furrows of age and worry etched into the old man's brow, but he could only guess at the troubled thoughts passing through his mind."

What perspective or point of view does the narrator adopt in this excerpt?

  1. Third-person limited perspectiveAnswer
  2. B
    Third-person omniscient perspective
  3. C
    First-person internal voice
  4. D
    Second-person narrative stance

Answer

Third-person limited perspective
The correct option is Third-person limited perspective because the narrator recounts events using third-person pronouns ('he', 'his') while remaining outside the grandfather's mind, able only to observe outward details and guess at internal feelings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pronouns used by the narrator in the passage.
The narrator uses third-person pronouns ('he', 'his') to refer to Obi and his grandfather.
Determining pronoun usage distinguishes between first-person ('I'), second-person ('you'), and third-person ('he/she/they') narration.
2
Analyze the extent of the narrator's knowledge regarding the characters' internal thoughts.
The narrator observes external details and notes that Obi 'could only guess at the troubled thoughts passing through his mind', showing that the narrator does not have all-knowing insight into the grandfather's mind.
A narrator who cannot access all characters' inner thoughts is limited rather than omniscient.

Key Concept

Identifying Third-Person Limited Point of View
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Topics

Narrative Technique and Point of View

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