1st person narrative vs 3rd person narrative

Today our LA teacher taught us about the difference of 1st person narratives and and 3rd person narratives.

What are 1st and 3rd person narratives?

1st person:

A narrative written in first person is a first-hand account of events told or narrated through the eyes of a single character, typically the main character. Books written in first person are easily identified by the use of the pronoun “I” rather than “he or she.”

3rd person:

The third person point of view occurs when an author allows the narrator to tell the story using third person pronouns. Third-person narrative can be identified by looking at the pronouns used in the narrative. Third-person narrative uses "he," "she," "it" "they."

Differences:

She stated that both types of narratives have their own pros and cons, however recommended us to use 3rd person as she said it would be easier for beginners of writing like us. However, she did not put down 1st person as well. They both have their own pros and cons. Let us take a closer look into this.

1st person pros:

First person makes the narrator close up and personal. The reader can identify with the character and experience their deepest, innermost thoughts and feelings which 3rd person is unable to do.

1st person cons:

When writing in first person, the author is restricted to a single point of view. First person therefore becomes the narrowest, most restrictive point of view because everything is seen and processed through the mind of the narrator. Therefore, it is very hard for authors because the narrator could not possibly be at all the important places at one time.

3rd person pros:

From the third person point of view, it allows the author the flexibility of using more than one viewpoint character without confusing the reader. In such cases, it is common for authors to change from one viewpoint character to another. There could also be one main character per scene.

3rd person cons:

Omniscient points of view in third person means that there are many more main characters. Therefore, together with the lack of the ability to write about the feelings of the character, and the lack of details for each main characters, 3rd person narratives are usually more detached from the readers.

Conclusion:

So, to write a successful essay, we must first understand for what purpose we are writing for and how does choosing that particular style help in fulfilling that purpose.