Point of View in "A Night to Remember"

Understanding a Crucial Element of a Timeless Novel

By John Galt, published Oct 01, 2007
Published Content: 364  Total Views: 162,297  Favorited By: 7 CPs
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In the novel, A Night to Remember, the point of view is third person omniscient. This point of view is often used for novels which have a format that prohibit the use of one character as the storyteller or narrator. This is especially true for this novel. Telling the story from first person perspective would be impossible and incomplete. When used with the omniscient approach however, the novel makes more sense, feels more complete, and a truer version of the story is told.

This is true because a narrator is not influenced by fear of the moment or panic when telling a story. When it comes to literary stories, understanding the point of view is absolutely essential for getting the most out of the story. The point of view relays so much crucial information and is one of the most significant elements of any story. In fact, the point of view which a story is told from not only categorizes and defines the upcoming action of the tale, it also works towards pointing out several major aspects of the plot, and it does a great deal of inferring when it comes to what the story represents and how the reader can view and understand the action that takes place throughout the course and unfolding of the story.

As told by the fact that the third person point of view is omniscient, the narrator knows everything about the characters, from their emotion and thoughts to their actions. This gives the reader an unparalleled look at the hearts and minds of those who are experiencing the tragedy of the Titanic first hand. This does so much for the power of the book and the way in which it grabs the reader.

Point of View in "A Night to Remember"

The original cover for the novel.

Credit: Hunters and the Hunted.com

Copyright: Hunters and the Hunted.com

Takeaways
  • What does the third person viewpoint do for the reader.
  • Why might the author have chosen that viewpoint?
  • Could the novel have been told in another way?
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