The narrative used in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins is first person Point of View Narrative. This type of narrative uses the first person and it immerses the reader into the storyline, and in the head of a character. Point of view narratives enables the reader to follow the storyline as though he/she was in the narrative. It also enables the reader to narrow and focus on the story thus enabling the writer to effectively increase tension and suspense in the narrative. Point of view narratives have also proved to induce in-depth reading and a love for the narrative. A huge number of writers have taken up this format of writing thereby bringing life to their narratives.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and the Adventures of Huckleberry by Mark Twain use the first point of view narrative to advance their themes and relay the intended message. Suzanne Collins narrates the Hunger Games from the first person’s perspective of Katniss Everdeen by narrating her personal experiences and history that played out in the hunger games. Mark Twain uses Huck and Jim to convey the intended information and the themes in both narratives are brought to life by the use of the first-person point of view.
First person Point of view can be used to invoke a sense of determination to continue reading the narrative, suspense, conflict and tension. This is best brought out by Suzanne through the theme of survival in the Hunger Games. Survival is an essential and main theme in the hunger games. Katniss survives against all odds of being an underdog to go through various challenges and pain while still soldering on, with an aim of winning the games. Her plight is narrated in the first person immersing the reader into her struggles and adventures. We get to internalize her pain, her journey, her losses and her grief as she strives to get through each and every hurdle placed in front of her. Through the use of this type of narrative, readers tend to relate to her woes and see her determination to survive and keep moving forward. Suzanne Collins increases the tension and suspense after we see numerous injuries that Katniss experiences. The suspense is created leaving readers with the question will she make it to the end? Readers can fully follow this theme of survival from the beginning of the narrative until the very end due to the use of the first person. The readers are placed in Katniss feet, walking with her and in a way experiencing her struggles with her.
Suspense and conflict are seen in The Adventures of Huckleberry where Mark Twain tries to bring out conflict in the first-person point of view to enable the reader to interact with the plot in a familiar way and embrace the struggles and challenges therein. The narrative is centred on the conflict between civilization and natural life as well as slavery and the effects it had among people of different status, i.e. the free and the slaved. A major conflict and point of suspense can be seen when Huck goes against his very own principles and sets Jim free. At that time, slaves were slaves and they did not have the right to be free. They were seen as mere workers, not fellow human beings who deserved freedom and choices. Twain focuses on this issues bringing the plight of slaves in the first-person point of view thereby invoking a sense of pity and remorse among the readers. Huck is filled with pity and remorse and is in conflict on what to do. Should he release Jim or stick to the cultural norm of the time. His inner belief takes over and releases Jim despite the internal conflict playing in his head. The use of the first-person point of view enables the reader to be in sync with Huck posing the question what next for Huck after its discovered that he released a slave.
This form of narrative is also good at teaching and expounding on common societal issues since it places the reader into a divide that it seeks to be addressed. A case example is the theme of inequality between the rich and poor and the theme of determination, i.e. all or none to achieve the intended goal. These two themes are highlighted greatly in the Hunger games and brought out very well using the first-person point of view narrative. We see the struggles Katniss and her people are experiencing with regard to food shortage yet people in the capital, a wealthy neighbourhood, are living in luxury and abundance. A system is used to choose who shall play in the games as tributes. In theory a lottery system is used, however in practice, the poor are chosen sparing the children of the rich. The tributes fight to the death in the games hence we see a scenario whereby the lives of the poor are not fully regarded unlike the lives of the rich. This theme is greatly expounded using point of view narrative as the readers truly feel for the people in the districts and we are left asking do our lives really matter since the readers are placed in the context of Katniss.
Mark Twain also uses this narrative to educate on societal issues and encourage free speech, thought and freedom to choose a path that an individual desires. Twain uses Huck to help readers understand that people are different and that we should not force our ideologies on others just because it is the norm. Huck is forced to wear new clothes, read the Bible and forced to stop smoking. According to Huck, he does not see the need for this. He sees no need to read the Bible and follow the people who do since they practice slavery. He is conflicted, and being forced to do this thing poses a challenge. Twain uses the first-person point of view narrative to help readers place themselves the shoes of Hulk and by doing so invoke the question, how would it feel if this was done to me? By doing so educates readers on the importance of accepting differences among individuals and incorporating various cultures and doctrines.
Determination, the all or none context is greatly highlighted in the narrative and we see it through the will that Katniss has and through the sacrifices she had to make, from dressing up just to make a good appearance to holding her tears and anguish for the sake of a game. Katniss is seen as a determined person throughout the narrative setting her mind towards a goal and achieving it. Her character of determination is best brought out using the first-person point of view narrative as readers get a sense of what determination is all about and what it takes. Readers relate with Katniss's plight and determination.
Mark Twain and Suzanne Collins envisioned their narratives to be more than interesting pieces of literature but literature that arouses thought, incorporates to our daily living and brings out issues that need to be addressed. Through the use of the first-person point of view narrative, this vision is brought to life and their narratives are more than stories, but narratives with a ‘soul’
