Every story is told from a certain perspective, through the point of view of a narrator. It is essential to understand the different types of narrative focuses (there are three) and their particularities because each brings a different tone to the story and its choice proves decisive. After a quick presentation of the three narrative points of view – internal, external, and omniscient – ​​we will focus in this article on the omniscient narrator: what are his characteristics? For what type of novel should it be used? And above all, how to master it well.

Every story is told from a certain perspective, through the point of view of a narrator. It is essential to understand the different types of narrative focuses (there are three) and their particularities, because each brings a different tone to the story and its choice proves decisive. After a quick presentation of the three narrative points of view – internal, external and omniscient – ​​we will focus in this article on the omniscient narrator: what are his characteristics? For what type of novel should it be used? And above all, how to master it well?

THE OMNISCIENT NARRATOR, ONE OF THE THREE NARRATIVE FOCUSES

It is the theorist Gérard Genette who proposes, in his work Figures III published in 1972, a classification of the three points of view of the narrator in a story.

THE NARRATOR'S THREE FOCUSES

‍ Internal: Internal point of view narration involves telling the events of the novel through the eye of a single character, who is usually the main character . The story is in the first person (e.g.: Antichrista by Amélie Nothomb) or in the third (e.g.: Harry Potter by JK Rowling).

External: external focalization, as opposed to the internal narrator, consists of telling the story in a detached and external manner, as if the narrator were only a camera filming the events (e.g.: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck).

Omniscient: the omniscient narrator, as the etymology of his name indicates, knows everything: the thoughts of all the characters, what happens to each of them, the context of the novel... a complex focus that deserves attention. linger there!

FOCUS ON THE OMNISCIENT NARRATOR

The omniscient narrator, unlike the internal narrator, is not a character in the story; but unlike the external narrator, he knows it in all its facets, better than if he were part of it. This is why he is often called a “God-narrator”  : he is not a character, but he is a present entity, well beyond a simple camera, who overlooks the entire story. .

Indeed, like a demiurge, he knows absolutely every detail of the story, from the origins of the creation of the universe of the novel to the darkest secrets of a secondary character! This characteristic necessarily results in narration in the third person singular, imperative when using omniscient focus, or zero focus .

“In the metro, whatever the capacity of the train, and even when it is empty, Baumgartner always prefers folding seats to bench seats, unlike Ferrer who prefers the latter better. »

I'm leaving, Jean Echenoz

We must imagine that, if the narrator is a God, he is a sort of “character” in himself, although entirely external to the novel: his role is above all to tell the story, but he has a clean conscience . If it leaves room for the story most often, it can sometimes become more intrusive, whether through an ironic comment at the turn of a passage or even through an incursion into the first person.

For example, still in Jean Echenoz's Je m'en vas , the narrator intervenes in the story, behaving like a television presenter: "But we cannot, in the immediate future, develop this point given that there is more urgent news mobilizes us: we have just learned, in fact, of the tragic disappearance of Delahaye. 

THE CONSTRAINTS AND STRENGTHS OF THE OMNISCIENT NARRATOR

Rare The omniscient point of view abounded in classical literature, particularly among authors of realistic novels , but it is much less common today.

Distant: this type of narrator, generating a certain emotional distance, manages less easily to immerse the reader in the story, to provoke his identification with the characters and to maintain the novelistic illusion (especially if the voice of the narrator is heard in the narrative).

Technique: It’s not about constantly jumping thoughts from one character to another. Using an omniscient narrator requires mastering the coherence of the story, the points of view adopted, and the introduction of information. It's not because the narrator knows everything that he has to reveal everything!

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE OMNISCIENT NARRATOR

‍Versatile: since he knows everything, the omniscient narrator can be interested in the trajectories and interiority of many characters, unlike the internal narrator who is limited to the knowledge of a single character on whom he is focused (he often acts of the main character).

Flexible: this narrator makes it easy to give context and information about the plot or the universe (provided you do it well). It therefore offers greater flexibility than an internal or external narrator, who can only inform the readership through what a single character knows or via what takes place directly in the plot.

Conscious: if he can remain neutral and simply tell the story without intervening, an omniscient narrator can also have his own personality and make it felt in his way of telling the events: sardonic, caring, comical... everything is possible!

ADOPTING THE OMNISCIENT NARRATOR FOR YOUR NOVEL

Do you want to use omniscient focus to write your story? First of all, you have to make sure that this type of narrator is the one that best suits your idea. Every novel is different, so there is no general rule. It all depends on what you are looking for: if it is a question of arousing emotion by creating attachment to a particular character, the omniscient point of view will not necessarily be ideal. On the other hand, it may be much better suited if you wish, for example, to explore all the potential of an imaginary universe that you have invented.

READ WRITE, PRACTICE

You will then have to learn to master this narrative perspective. As always, learning to write starts with reading  ! Immerse yourself in the techniques of the best writers by reading novels that use this point of view. You will see that Balzac and Stephen King, who are both fans of it, do not use it in the same way at all.

You can even, if you wish, have fun rewriting passages from your favorite novels from an omniscient point of view. This creative writing exercise , delicate but educational, will also help you find the “voice” of your narrator (sarcastic, blue flower, etc.?) if you wish to give him one.

FOR FURTHER

If you want to further perfect your writing, Edith & Nous offers numerous resources, which will help you not only master the omniscient point of view, but also fully unlock the potential of your manuscript as a whole.

In our guide to narrative voice , writing expert Raphaël Bischoff gives you eight keys to learning how to find the right way to tell a story.

And if your manuscript is finished, it is possible, with the Proofreading workshop , to obtain a complete analysis of your text, accompanied by suggestions for rework.