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Hills Like White Elephants (Click to select text)
This story, Hills Like White Elephants, is taken form the Objective (dramatic) point of view where the author is the narrator. The author doesn't enter the mind of the characters at any time. He allows us only to see the characters as we would in real life. This is sometimes called the dramatic point of view. The only way we, the reader, learn anything about them is through what they say about themselves. If the story were told from another point of view it would change completely. If told from the Omniscient point of view, where the author tells the story, the story would have been more informative and descriptive. This point of view is where the author assumes complete knowledge of the characters' actions and thoughts. With this point of view the author can move at will from one place to another and from one character to another and can even speak their views directly to the reader as the story goes along. With this point of view the story would have been easier to follow and the reader would have been better about to understand the character and their feelings. Form the Limited omniscient point of view. The author still narrates the story but restricts or limits their revelation of the thoughts of all but one character. With this point of view in the story the reader can be put into the mind of one of the character again helping to better understand their feelings and thoughts. The reader will be able to know why things happen and what the character's attitude is at that time. Another point of view is the First-person point of view where the author is even more restricted. One of the characters tells the story omitting the author as the narrator. If the story were told from this point of view, they would be able to gives us, the reader, a full description of what was going on would be aware of more things within the story. We would be aware of names of the character and maybe their features. It would better help us to make a mental picture of what is going on, thus enhancing the understanding and enjoyment of the story. The main characters of the story are a man, a girl and a woman. It is thought that the woman would be the bartender. If the story were taken form her as the narrator she would be able to give us an outside view of the other characters. She could explain their body language and their actions toward each other helping the reader to understand the situation that they were in. We would be more aware of their feelings as she sees it. If the story were told from one of the main characters view, such as the man or girl, the reader would be put in an even more informative position and it would be easier to know their dilemma. The two characters are talking about doing something, but it is not quite clear what it is that they want to do. Therefore they sort of leave the reader to guess what the problem is. If the story were told from their pint of view they could tell the reader what is going on from their mind. The story would be easier to follow and be easier to understand. The reader would also be more in touch with the story therefore be able to put more feeling in the story because it would be easier to relate to the character and give them definition and purpose. By the characters only telling the story the reader losses out on the significance of certain objects and scenery. With the sentence about the "White elephants" the reader cannot be sure what their purpose is unless the character tells us. The reader is not aware if the two characters are a couple or friends. The reader is left to guess the truth of the story, but can never be completely certain of their fate. This seems to be something that just reminds the character of something pretty and helps to make for discussion. The girl says in the story, " …then it would be nice again if I say things are like white elephants…" She seems to want to make the man happy. They seem to be waiting for a train. She looks at the hills and the mountains a lot. Which the narrator puts no emphasis on this it has some significance. It is what she wants and what she dreams. From the narrator's point of view, the reader cannot see it and has to build their own feeling of it. At the end of the story when the author explains that the man put the bags on the other side of the stain to await the train. Before that she asks him not talk and he goes out and moves the bags and comes back in and asks her of she fells better and she says yes. It doesn't explain that she got her moment of silence when he left and she was happy now and she was "fine". The narrator cannot give feeling to this which when read you can give it your own feeling and meaning. Tone is the narrator's predominate attitude toward the subject. The narrator will convey their attitude through the way that narrative devices are handled, including the choice of words. This narrator seems to have a subtle, none attitude to the situation. He or she seems in no way to be surprised but simply telling the story as it is seems. He doesn't add any real feeling.
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