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First-person narration

(or: seeing the story through one very specific pair of eyes)
In first-person narration, the story is told by a character inside the story.
This means:
1. we hear their thoughts
2. we see what they see
3. we feel what they feel
But there’s a catch. We only know what they choose to tell us.

1. What is first-person narration?

First-person narration is when a story is told using:
1. I
2. me
3. my
4. we
The narrator is a character, not an outside observer.
In simple terms:
1. The narrator is not watching the story.
  They are living it.

2. Why writers use first-person narration

Writers choose first-person narration to:
1. create closeness and intimacy
2. show thoughts and emotions directly
3. build tension through limited knowledge
4. shape how readers judge other characters
The reader is locked inside one perspective.

3. What first-person narration allows us to see

First-person narration gives us:
1. thoughts and reactions in real time
2. emotional responses to events
3. personal bias and opinions
This makes the voice feel real, but not always reliable.

4. What first-person narration hides

Because we only see one perspective:
1. other characters’ thoughts are hidden
2. events may be misunderstood
3. the narrator may be biased or wrong
This limitation can increase tension and suspense.

5. First-person narration and reliability

Not all first-person narrators are fully reliable.
A narrator might:
1. misunderstand events
2. justify their own actions
3. leave things out
4. lie to themselves
Readers must decide how much to trust the voice.

6. First-person narration and tension

First-person narration can increase tension because:
1. we discover information at the same time as the narrator
2. danger may be hinted at but not fully understood
3. emotional reactions shape how events feel
The reader experiences uncertainty alongside the narrator.

7. First-person narration and character

Because we live inside the narrator’s head, first-person narration is especially useful for:
1. analysing character traits
2. understanding motivation
3. exploring internal conflict
The narrator’s voice often reveals more than they realise.

8. Using PEEL to analyse first-person narration

You can analyse first-person narration using PEEL.

P: Point

Identify how the first-person perspective shapes understanding.
1. closeness
2. bias
3. limited knowledge
4. emotional intensity

Example

First-person narration creates closeness while limiting the reader’s knowledge to the narrator’s perspective.

E: Evidence

Use:
1. a line of first-person narration
2. a thought or reaction
3. an opinion or judgement

Example

This is shown when the narrator states, “I told myself it didn’t matter.”

E: Explain

Explain:
1. what this reveals about the narrator
2. how it affects the reader’s understanding
3. what might be missing or unreliable

Example

The phrase suggests self-justification, implying the narrator is trying to convince themselves rather than stating the truth. This makes the reader question the reliability of the narrator and feel the tension of unresolved emotion.

L: Link

Link to:
1. character traits or motivation
2. conflict or tension
3. the writer’s message

Example

As a result, the narration highlights the narrator’s internal conflict and builds tension by showing the gap between what they say and what they feel.

Exam technique

Sentence starters for first-person analysis
- Identifying narration effects
  - The use of first-person narration creates…
  - By narrating events through “I,” the writer allows the reader to…
- Using evidence
  - This is shown when the narrator states…
  - The narrator’s thought that… reveals…
- Explaining meaning
  - This suggests the narrator feels…
  - The reader understands that… even though the narrator does not fully admit it.
  - This limitation increases tension because…
- Linking to bigger ideas
  - As a result, the narration highlights the character’s internal conflict.
  - This perspective supports the theme of…
  - The narrator’s voice shapes the reader’s sympathy by…

9. Now it's your turn...

Example question

Practice task: analysing first-person narration
Extract:
- I didn’t ask why she avoided my eyes. I already knew the answer, and I wasn’t ready to admit it.
Your task
- Write one PEEL paragraph answering the question below.
Question:
- How does first-person narration shape the reader’s understanding of tension and character in this extract?
What students should focus on
- what the narrator admits versus what they avoid
- how limited perspective creates tension
- how thoughts reveal internal conflict
- how the reader is positioned to question the narrator

Solution

First-person narration shapes the reader’s understanding of tension and character by revealing the narrator’s internal conflict while also limiting what is openly admitted. This is evident when the narrator states, “I didn’t ask why she avoided my eyes” and later admits, “I already knew the answer.” Although the narrator claims understanding, their refusal to ask questions suggests avoidance and emotional discomfort. This gap between what the narrator knows and what they are willing to admit creates tension, as the reader senses an unspoken truth being deliberately ignored. As a result, the first-person perspective positions the reader to question the narrator’s honesty with themselves, highlighting internal conflict and deepening character complexity.

P: Point
- First-person narration shapes tension and character by revealing the narrator’s internal conflict while limiting what they are willing to openly admit.
E: Evidence
- This is shown when the narrator says “I didn’t ask why she avoided my eyes” and later admits “I already knew the answer.”
E: Explain
- Although the narrator claims to understand the situation, their choice not to ask questions suggests emotional avoidance. This contradiction between knowing and refusing to confront the truth creates tension, as the reader becomes aware of an unspoken issue the narrator is not ready to face.
L: Link
- As a result, the first-person perspective positions the reader to question the narrator’s honesty with themselves, highlighting internal conflict and deepening character complexity.

Self review

Revision summary: narration, tension, and character
- First-person narration
  - Told using I, me, my
  - Creates closeness and emotional intensity
  - Limits information to one perspective
  - Can be biased or unreliable
- Tension
  - Built through limited knowledge
  - Increased when the narrator avoids or delays truth
  - Strengthened by emotional reactions and uncertainty
- Character
  - Thoughts reveal traits and motivation
  - Bias shows how the narrator sees themselves and others
  - Internal conflict is often most visible
- How they work together
  - Narration controls what we know
  - Tension comes from what we don’t know
  - Character is revealed through voice, thought, and bias

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What is first-person narration?

Lesson

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10 minute activity

DefinitionFirst-person narrationA story told by a character inside the story, using pronouns like I, me, my, we.

In first-person narration:

We hear the narrator’s thoughts
We see what they see
We feel what they feel

Note: There is always a limitation: we only know what the narrator notices and chooses to tell us.

AnalogyHelmet camera: It is like watching the story through a helmet camera. You get closeness, but you can only see where the camera points.

Characterization and Human Behaviour5 subtopics

Dramatic Writing and Performance Techniques 4 subtopics

Narrative Perspective and Voice4 subtopics

Poetic Form and Expressive Techniques4 subtopics

Short Story Structure and Theme4 subtopics

Critical Reading and Media Interpretation4 subtopics

Travel Writing and Descriptive Craft3 subtopics

Ethical Reasoning in Texts3 subtopics

Argumentation and Persuasive Writing4 subtopics

Relationships and Interpersonal Themes3 subtopics

Duality, Conflict and Symbolism2 subtopics

Responsibility, Agency and Theme Development4 subtopics

First-person narration Notes

Characterization and Human Behaviour5 subtopics

Dramatic Writing and Performance Techniques 4 subtopics

Narrative Perspective and Voice4 subtopics

Poetic Form and Expressive Techniques4 subtopics

Short Story Structure and Theme4 subtopics

Critical Reading and Media Interpretation4 subtopics

Travel Writing and Descriptive Craft3 subtopics

Ethical Reasoning in Texts3 subtopics

Argumentation and Persuasive Writing4 subtopics

Relationships and Interpersonal Themes3 subtopics

Duality, Conflict and Symbolism2 subtopics

Responsibility, Agency and Theme Development4 subtopics

First-person narration

1. What is first-person narration?

2. Why writers use first-person narration

3. What first-person narration allows us to see

4. What first-person narration hides

5. First-person narration and reliability

6. First-person narration and tension

7. First-person narration and character

8. Using PEEL to analyse first-person narration

P: Point

E: Evidence

E: Explain

L: Link

9. Now it's your turn...

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