MYP English Lang & Lit 3.1 First-person Narration Notes

First-person narration

1. (or: seeing the story through one very specific pair of eyes)

2. In first-person narration, the story is told by a character inside the story.
3. This means:
   1. we hear their thoughts
   2. we see what they see
   3. we feel what they feel
4. But there’s a catch. We only know what they choose to tell us.

1. What is first-person narration?

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

   1. The narrator is not watching the story.
      They are living it.

2. Why writers use first-person narration

1. 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
2. The reader is locked inside one perspective.

3. What first-person narration allows us to see

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

4. What first-person narration hides

1. 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
2. This limitation can increase tension and suspense.

5. First-person narration and reliability

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

6. First-person narration and tension

1. 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
2. The reader experiences uncertainty alongside the narrator.

7. First-person narration and character

1. 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
2. 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

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

E: Evidence

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

E: Explain

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

L: Link

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

9. Now it's your turn...