“An Occurrence at Owl

Creek Bridge”
Exploring Point-of-View and Stream-of-Consciousness
 Third-Person Omniscient
(The narrator can tell you more that just what one character observes, but can stand back
and observe ALL and relate that information to the reader from a different vantage point.)
Example (Third-Person
Omniscient) Explanation
“A man stood upon a railroad in northern Alabama, looking Details that show the omniscient point of view include
down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands the descriptions of the man who is about to be hanged
were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope and the identities, responsibilities, and ranks of the
closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross soldiers on the bridge.
timber above his head and the slack fell to the level of his In other words, the narrator has a “birds-eye” view of
knees….two private soldiers of the Federal army, directed by a everything going on and is objectively describing
sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff…At everything he sees. He know who the characters are,
a short remove upon the same temporary platform was an their ranks and their responsibilities (all knowing).
officer in the uniform and his rank, armed. He was a captain. Effect: straight-forward reporting; dry emotional tone;
A sentinel at each end of the bridge stood with his rifle in the impersonal
position known as ‘support,’…
 Third-Person Limited
(the story’s focus is on the observations and feelings of a single
character)
Example 1 (Third-Person
Limited)
“He closed his eyes in order to fix his last
thoughts upon his wife and children…and
now he became conscious of a new
disturbance. Striking through the thought of
his dear ones was a sound which he could
neither ignore nor understand, a sharp,
distinct, metallic percussion…He wonders
what is was, and whether immeasurably
distant or near by—it seemed both.”
Explanation
The shift from omniscient to limited happens
when the story’s focus changes from the narrator
objectively describing everything that happens
and providing information about who they are
(i.e. ranks and responsibilities) to the
observations and feelings of a single character.
Effect: sense of wonder; engaging tone, more
personal
 Third-Person Limited
(the story’s focus is on the observations and feelings of a single
character)

Example 2 (Third-Person Limited) Explanation

“…As he shook his head free from the commotion of
the smitten water he heard the deflected shot humming
through the air ahead, and in an instant it was cracking
and smashing the branches in the forest beyond.
‘They will not do that again,’ he thought; ‘the next
time they will use a charge of grape. I must keep my
eye upon the gun; the smoke will apprise me—the
report arrives too late; it lags behind the missile. ‘That
is a good gun.’”
The narrator is describing Farquhar’s
perceptions of and reactions to
various physical phenomena. He is
therefore using a limited third-person
point of view.
Effect: again, more engaging and
personal
 Stream-of-Consciousness
Stream of consciousness is a technique in which
thoughts are presented as the mind experiences them
—in short burst without obvious logic.
The reader is made aware of the thoughts and
feelings of the main character as he experiences
them.
The use of stream-of-consciousness in the following
example gives the narrative a very personal quality.
It is appropriate because the protagonist suffers a
warped sense of reality and that distortion is
effectively conveyed through the use of this
technique.
EXAMPLE:
“He was not conscious of the effort, but a
sharp pain his wrist apprised him that he
was trying to free his hands.”
“What splendid effort!—what magnificent,
what superhuman strength! Ah, that was a
fine endeavor! Bravo!”
“Put it back, put it back!” He thought he
shouted these words to his hand.