Why Third Person
What is Third Person?
Third person means that the narrator is not part of the "story." Third person pronouns include they, he, she, them, etc.
What about First and Second Person?
In first person, the narrator is in the story, and refers to herself as "I." Ever read Twilight, or Divergent? Both of those stories are told in first person.
In second person, the pronoun of choice is "you." You don't see a lot of novels written predominately in second person. I read one once, and the experience was decidedly uncomfortable, because in second person the main character is the reader, as in "you wake up, look around, and walk downstairs..." That gets weird.
In second person, the pronoun of choice is "you." You don't see a lot of novels written predominately in second person. I read one once, and the experience was decidedly uncomfortable, because in second person the main character is the reader, as in "you wake up, look around, and walk downstairs..." That gets weird.
Only use objective third person in a formal essay.
Your essay should stand on the strength of your evidence and logic; it should generally be devoid of overt emotional pleas, so that readers don't feel manipulated. Because of this, you never want to write "I feel," I believe," or "you can see," "you can almost feel..." Leave yourself and us out of it. Just tell it like it is.
Also: when you write "I feel" or "I think," you are basically apologizing for your writing, as if to say, "this is just what I think, and I could be wrong, so don't blame me!" Even if that's what you are feeling as you write, you should never show it. Be confident. Writing an essay is a little bit like approaching a strange dog: if you show fear, you'll get bitten |
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But, how can I take myself out of it!? I can't do that!?
Sure you can. Just change your thinking a little bit. Take a look at these two introductory paragraphs. They are identical, except one is objective and the other isn't
BadOf Mice and Men is one of the best books I have ever read. You can feel everything the characters are feeling, and when George finally has to shoot is best friend Lennie, I defy you not to break into tears. I believe that Of Mice and Men is still a classic because the lessons John Steinbeck taught about love, compassion, and empathy are universal, and you can still learn from them today.
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GoodOf Mice and Men is a wonderful book. Readers feel everything the characters are feeling, and when George finally has to shoot is best friend Lennie, it is unlikely that any reader will walk away unmoved. Of Mice and Men is still a classic because the lessons John Steinbeck taught about love, compassion, and empathy are universal, and anyone can still learn from them today.
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See? Those changes weren't that complicated, but they left me and you out. I mentioned hypothetical readers a couple of times, but otherwise I just focused on what I wanted to say about the book.