2P Narration

skttrbrain · Dec 5, 2009

Hey everyone, I've found myself drawn to second person narration lately due to the fact that it's different and rather rare. But there are still a few things I'm having trouble understanding.

So in the second person POV, the narrator tells the story to another character using "you," so that the story is being told through the addressee's point of view. But who is the narrator? Do they need to be identified? How could they possibly know everyone about the "you" character? They would need to be with the "you" character all the time wouldn't they?

All this confuses me,

So all in all I would love to hear some input/facts/further information about second person narration and its use.

Thanks in advance

Quossum · Dec 5, 2009

In the novel Cut, the "you" is the narrator's therapist to whom she's telling all that's happened to her. Because the narrator is pretty much telling her own story, the effect is mainly of 1st person POV, with only a "you" thrown in here and there as the girl is actually interacting with or speaking about or to the doctor.

You've got to be really careful with second person; it's so easy to end up sounding like one of those Choose Your Own Adventure books. It's done artfully in the short story "Mister Ice Cold" by Gahan Wilson. If you can get a hold of that wonderful piece, it's well worth a read. Truly chilling, and that's no pun intended!

--Q

Kalyke · Dec 5, 2009

You know, just try it. Do it on a short story. I've written a few You stories-- mind you a very few, and they are very weird. If you are attracted to them, then do some experiments. It only takes a day or two to write a decent short story.

katiemac · Dec 5, 2009

So in the second person POV, the narrator tells the story to another character using "you," so that the story is being told through the addressee's point of view. But who is the narrator? Do they need to be identified? How could they possibly know everyone about the "you" character? They would need to be with the "you" character all the time wouldn't they?

All this confuses me,

So all in all I would love to hear some input/facts/further information about second person narration and its use.

Thanks in advance

To be frank, aside from some stylistic issues, I don't think the questions are any different than what you would ask of a narrator in first or third person.

Who is the narrator in a first-person novel? In third person? Do they need to be identified? Do they need to be with the other characters all the time?

The first-person ones are pretty easy... You almost always know the narrator without it being explicitly stated. What about third person? How often have you read a third person novel where you knew the identity of the narrator? Did it matter?

The answers will depend, as they always do, on your story. But the more you know about your characters, narrator included, the better.

2P Narration

skttrbrain

Quossum

Kalyke

katiemac

Five by Five