Me, Myself and I: Using First Person POV

Hello, dear people! Have you ever thought about how books connect you with people you have never met before––people that are often just imaginary––in a way that makes you feel as though you know him or her just like a best friend? Arguably, a large part of that is how well the character’s point of view is crafted. One of the ways that a character can seem close and personal is through first person point of view.

First person POV is very intimate but also one-sided. When a book begins with something like, “It was a lonely day when I woke up,” the author alerts the readers to the idea that the main character is going to tell his or her own story with his or her own unique perspective. Anything that happens in the story is translated by this worldview and the information available to him or her. Often, an entire book is like this, without moving to anyone else’s thoughts. This makes the reader feel like they are in the character’s thoughts, almost like someone is in your living room explaining what happened to him or her.

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis is a beautiful example of using first person point of view effectively. The book tells the story of Orual, a princess with an ugly face who lives in a palace with her younger two sisters and abusive father. Her sister Psyche, is more beautiful than any other girl, and Orual and Psyche have a strong bond. However, Psyche is taken away to be given up to this mysterious god called the Brute, and Orual can’t do anything about it. Lewis uses first person very intentionally, and the story is told as if it is a book written by Orual herself to vindicate herself to the gods. All of her actions are filtered through her own way of seeing the world, which only gives a narrow view of the events. If there were any other perspectives, it would destroy the power of seeing the world merely through Orual’s unique POV. By following Orual only, the readers can follow her character arc and walk beside her on her journey. Also, Till We Have Faces is full of mystery because the reader doesn’t quite know what is happening with Psyche or what other people’s perspectives are. The truth is unraveled slowly, which makes for a compelling ending when Orual sees the truth about her whole story.

However, even though this POV is interesting and has the advantage of giving your readers an intimate look into your character’s head, it has its limitations. The first person POV should be used with only one character because it would be confusing if you jump around between two people who both refer to themselves as “I.” Also, it is possible to use third person and first person together––jumping back and forth or adding third person at the end––but it can be jarring for your readers. If you want to do this in your novel, consider if it would be better if you chose third person instead or stuck just with first person. Ask some people to read it and see what they think. Does it add or take away from your story?

Now, there are some things that come with first person that you also have to consider if you want to use it. It may lower some tension in an action story if you use first person because it is more probable that the main character won’t die suddenly at the end (it might be hard to explain that). It has been done, but you have to test it and see if it will work. Or, if you want to leave your readers guessing, third person is an easier choice because you could jump to a side character’s POV after that main character dies. Also, if you are trying to tell a large, complex story, you may need more than one POV and so first person is probably not the best choice. The main character shouldn’t have a bunch of plot information dumped at him or her just because a ton of important things keep happening to other people. First person is a unique way to tell a great story, but it’s not as common so you should be careful to use it. But, if you examine all these things and your book speaks beautifully through first person, go for it. Lewis used first person expertly to his advantage, and Till We Have Faces would not be as impactful without it.

Now look at your story. See if using first person would add the extra strength that the story needs. Or see if your use of first person is too limited or confusing. And as always, keep writing! Let your story ignite something in your readers.

~Evelyn Knight