Question

Difficulty: MediumNarrative Point of View and Perspective

Match each of the prose passages on the left with the corresponding narrative point of view classification on the right.

  • Tunde walked down the dusty road toward the village square. He wondered if his brother had already arrived at the station, feeling a sharp pang of impatience in his chest.Third-person limited perspective
  • We gathered under the shade of the ancient baobab tree as the village elder began to speak. Every one of us held our breath, eager to hear the lore of our ancestors.First-person plural perspective
  • Across town, Aminat sat quietly in her study contemplating her future, while miles away in the capital, Chief Olusola signed the decree that would alter her family's fate forever.Third-person omniscient perspective
  • You step onto the creaking veranda, smelling the damp rain on the earth, knowing that behind the heavy wooden door lies the truth you have sought for years.Second-person narrative perspective

Answer

Passage 1 matches Third-person limited perspective; Passage 2 matches First-person plural perspective; Passage 3 matches Third-person omniscient perspective; Passage 4 matches Second-person narrative perspective.
Each passage exhibits distinct grammatical markers and scope of focalization: Passage 1 limits knowledge to Tunde ('he'), Passage 2 speaks collectively ('we'), Passage 3 observes multiple remote characters simultaneously ('Aminat' and 'Chief Olusola'), and Passage 4 addresses the protagonist directly ('you').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronouns and scope of focalization in the first passage.
Pronouns used are 'he' and 'his', focusing exclusively on Tunde's inner feelings without revealing other characters' private thoughts.
This single-character focus with third-person pronouns indicates a third-person limited narrative perspective.
2
Identify the voice and pronoun structure of the second passage.
Pronouns used are 'we', 'us', and 'our'.
First-person plural pronouns convey a shared, communal narrator participating directly in the events.
3
Evaluate the geographical and mental range of the narrator in the third passage.
The narrative moves between Aminat in her study and Chief Olusola in the capital, disclosing both of their independent actions and circumstances.
An all-knowing narrator who transcends spatial limitations and accesses multiple characters' actions operates from a third-person omniscient point of view.
4
Examine the mode of address in the fourth passage.
The passage repeatedly employs the pronoun 'you' to direct the action.
Directly addressing the subject as 'you' establishes a second-person point of view.

Key Concept

Narrative Point of View and Perspective
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