Observer Narrator: what is it, features and example

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O observer narrator he is a type of narrator who knows the entire story that will be narrated, but does not participate in it.

So he knows the facts, but he doesn't act as a plot character. This narrator is, therefore, objective and impartial as to how events unfold.

For this reason, this text is narrated in 3rd person singular (he, she) or plural (they, they).

Remember that the narrative text is usually written in prose, and its structure is divided into: introduction, development, climax and conclusion.

Furthermore, its main elements are: plot, narrator (narrative focus), characters, time and space.

The other two types of narrators are:

O narrator character, which participates in history;
O omniscient narrator, who knows everything, including the thoughts and desires of his characters.

Thus, unlike the omniscient narrator, the observant narrator reports the facts from his point of view, however, he does not know everything about his characters.

He is a witness to the reported facts and actions and does not know all of the characters' thoughts, personality and feelings.

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Example

Below is an example of an observant narrator in Machado de Assis' novel, Quincas Borba:

CHAPTER LXXVIII

Rubião did not lose suspicion that easily. He thought about talking to Carlos Maria, questioning him, and he even went to Rua dos Invalidos three times the following day; not finding him, he changed his mind. It was closed for a few days; Major Siqueira dragged him out of his solitude. He was going to tell him that he had moved to Rua Dois de Dezembro. He really liked our friend's house, the implements, the luxury, all the niceties, golds and slabs. On this subject he spoke at length, recalling some old furniture. He stopped short to say that he found him annoyed; it was natural, it lacked a complement.

— You are happy, but you lack one thing here; he lacks a woman. You must marry. Get married, and tell me I'm deceiving you.

Rubião remembered Santa Teresa - that famous night of conversation with Sofia - and felt a chill run down his back; but the major's voice held no sarcasm. She wasn't excited about interest either. The daughter was still what we left her in chapter XLIII, with the difference that the forty years came. Forty-year-old spinster. She moaned them to herself, first thing in the morning, the day she completed them; she didn't put ribbon or rose in her hair. No party; just a speech from his father at lunch, reminding him of his childhood, anecdotes from his mother and grandmother, a ball domino of masks, a christening from 1848, the solitary one of Colonel Clodomiro, various things like that mixed together, to entertain the hours. D. Tonica could barely hear him; self-absorbed, she was gnawing on the bread of moral solitude, while she regretted her last efforts in the search for a husband. Fourty years; it was time to stop.

None of that reminded the major now. It was sincere; she thought that Rubião 's house had no soul. And he repeated, as he said goodbye:

— Get married, and tell me I'm deceiving you.

Read too:

  • Narrative text
  • Narration
  • Narrative Focus
  • Narrative Elements
  • omniscient narrator
  • Narrator character
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