LO: To explore the writer’s choice of
narrative voice
Do Now!
What is a narrative voice?
List the different types of narrative voice you might find in a
story
Extension – Write a short description of a ghostly character in
each narrative voice that you have written down
Different types of narrative voice:
• 1st person narrative uses the pronouns: I, we, me, us
•
2nd person narrative uses the pronouns: you, your, yours
•
3rd person narrative uses the pronouns: he, she, it, they
Look at the opening lines of The Graveyard Book
“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a
knife. The knife had a handle of polished black
bone, and a blade finer and sharper than any
razor. If it sliced you, you might not even know
you had been cut, not immediately.”
What narrative voice has the writer chosen?
Why do you think this is?
What words or phrases make this an effective opening?
Why do you think this?
Extension: Rewrite a sentence
in a different narrative voice
rd
3
person narrative voice
What do you think the benefits of a 3rd person narrator is?
What could be the disadvantages?
Key Word:
Omniscient – All knowing
What do you think an omniscient narrator would be?
An omniscient narrator - a point of view where the narrator knows all the
thoughts, actions, and feelings of all characters.
What are the benefits of writing as an omniscient narrator?
What words or phrases might a narrator use, if they are omniscient?
Read the first 10 minutes of the book –
Follow along with the author
Chapter 1 - read by Gaiman
What impression do you get of The Man Jack?
What words or phrases make you think this?
What impression do you get of the baby?
What words or phrases make you think this?
Extension: Can you identify the type of
words being used to describe the characters?
E.g: Adjectives; Verbs; Adverbs
What narrative voice has Gaiman chosen
to tell his story?
What examples from the text can you find
that proves this?
“He could smell the
child”
“he told
himself”
“he had no desire to turn on an electric
light”
“he soon became
bored”
“He could make out the shape of the
child”
“He was surprised when he hit the
floor”
“Like the walls of his playpen downstairs,
but he was convinced that he could scale
it”
Your opinion
Why do you think Gaiman has chosen to write using an omniscient
narrator?
Do you think it is effective?
Explain your reasons.