Sunday, July 15, 2012

What is the point of view in the short story "The Interlopers"?

Saki uses 3rd person omniscient point of view for his story "The Interlopers." Evidence of this point of view appears in the narrator's knowledge of the two characters'--Georg Znaeym and Ulrich von Gradwitz--actions and thoughts. He begins by giving the reader the background to the long-standing feud, and later when the two enemies meet in the disputed forest, the narrator states that



"each had hate in his heart and murder uppermost in his mind."



Near the story's end, the narrator also tells readers that Ulrich is relieved and exasperated. While these emotions would show on one's face, the narrator clarifies the source ofUlrich's exasperation--that he is trapped when his opportunity to annihilate his enemy is so close. Again,Saki lets readers know the motive behind the character'sactions and gestures.


If the story were told in first person, readers would see the use of pronouns such as "I," "me," "we," etc. If Saki used 3rd person limited, readers would not know what the two men are thinking.

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