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Difficulty: MediumNarrative Point of View and Perspective

Read the prose excerpt below:

"Kofi adjusted his spectacles and glanced across the dimly lit study at Dr. Baako, who sat motionless with his head buried in his hands. Kofi wondered if the old scholar had finally uncovered the secret behind the missing manuscript, but Dr. Baako remained silent, offering no hint of the thoughts racing through his mind."

Which narrative point of view is employed in the passage above?

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

Answer

Third-person limited perspective
The correct answer is Third-person limited perspective because the narrator employs third-person pronouns and reveals only Kofi's internal speculation ('Kofi wondered'), while acknowledging that Dr. Baako's thoughts are unknown.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the grammatical pronouns used by the narrator
The passage uses third-person pronouns ('he', 'his') rather than first-person ('I') or second-person ('you').
Identifying the pronoun set establishes whether the narrative is framed in first, second, or third person.
2
Analyze the extent of the narrator's access to characters' internal thoughts
The narrator presents only Kofi's internal consciousness ('Kofi wondered') while noting that Dr. Baako offered no hint of his thoughts.
Differentiating between limited and omniscient third-person narration requires checking whether internal access is restricted to one focalizing character or extends to all characters.
3
Conclude the specific narrative perspective
The perspective is third-person limited.
Third-person limited narration presents events through the perception of a single focal character while keeping other characters' thoughts private.

Key Concept

Third-Person Limited Narrative Perspective
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Narrative Point of View and Perspective

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