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Mark Twain's Use Of A Third-Person Narrator In A True Story

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In every work of literature, the authors always use distinct styles. When it comes to the method of writing the two books are different. For instance, in A True Story, Mark Twain uses an exciting approach, which is the first person as the narrator of the story. However, in The Quadroons by Linda Maria Child uses a third-person narrator in the novel to present her story. In A True Story, the author begins with the first person from the viewpoint of Mister C and then changes to the first person from the perspectives of Aunt Rachel. The author used the first narrator to make the readers feel like they are present during the happening of the events described in the story. He wanted the readers to believe that the story was written as it occurred, …show more content…

The story is based on the question Mister C, asked Rachel, “Aunt Rachel, how is it that you’ve lived the two years and never had any trouble?” and the answers she gives (Twain 578). Rachel then tells him in the first person voice the tragic story of her family and then she concludes by saying “Oh no, Misto C–, I haven't had no trouble. An’ no joy!” (Twain 582). Most of her answers in the story do not seem to be sarcastic apart from this one. It was, therefore, author's ways of showing commentary irony to make Rachel say that there is no joy without trouble. The use of the first-person narrator makes the readers empathize with the narrators. As a result, it makes the story exciting and emotional at the same time. Thus, the readers can quickly create a mental picture of what was happening from the narrations. Similarly, readers are drawn into the story, which helps in understanding the central theme of slavery better as they can relate to the story from a personal level as if they were present when the narrators were telling their stories. The use of the first, therefore, means that the story is told from the viewpoints of single or few characters as seen A True Story. For this reason, the characters can only reveal their thoughts, feelings, and

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