Narrator and Point of View
(vgl. English Eleven pp. 11, 22 und Blickfeld Deutsch S. 307-308)
First-person narrator (limited point of view) (Ich-Erzähler)
I had been sitting for quite some time in the café. Nothing extraordinary had happened, just the usual crowd of boring people. I had had two cups of coffee and had read my favourite newspaper. I wondered what the day would bring other than dull conversation, a lonely way home and a depressing meal in front of the TV.
My mind wandered back to my first wife. Our blissful happiness ... our vacation at the beach ... French red wine in simple glasses ... But then one day when I had come unexpectedly from a business trip ... Darkness had descended onto my life.
I was staring absent-mindedly out of the window, so I didn’t notice her the very first moment when she entered the café. Only when she passed my table, did I realize her extravagant dress, her rich lips and her slender waist. I wondered whether she was looking for somebody. Had she noticed me? Did it mean anything that she slowed her steps a little bit when she approached my table?
Omniscient narrator (unlimited point of view) (allwissender Erzähler)
He had been sitting for quite some time in the café. Nothing extraordinary had happened, just the usual crowd of boring people. He had had two cups of coffee and had read his favourite newspaper. He wondered what the day would bring other than dull conversation, a lonely way home and a depressing meal in front of the TV.
His mind wandered back to his first wife. Their blissful happiness ... the vacation at the beach ... French red wine in simple glasses ... But then one day when he had come unexpectedly from a business trip ... Darkness had descended onto his life.
He was staring absent-mindedly out of the window, so he didn’t notice her the very first moment when she entered the café. Only when she passed his table, did he realize her extravagant dress, her rich lips and her slender waist. He asked himself whether she was looking for somebody. He wasn’t sure that she had noticed him. Did it mean anything that she slowed her steps a little bit when she approached his table?
Haven’t all men experienced similar situations and wondered what to do and how to behave? Approach the woman, address her directly and invite her? Isn’t such behaviour considered “chauvinist” and “macho” by a lot of emancipated women today? But what’s the alternative? Sitting there and just hoping that the woman notices you and becomes active herself?
The woman had become aware that she was being stared at. She was in the right mood for a little flirt. It felt good to be admired. It reminded her of her beautiful time at university when she was always the centre of everybody’s attention. She slowed her steps when she approached the man who was staring at her and took a furtive glance at him. If only she had known at that moment how much she would regret this behaviour later on.
Third-person limited / figural narration (personales Erzähen)
He had been sitting for quite some time in the café. Nothing extraordinary had happened, just the usual crowd of boring people. He had had two cups of coffee and had read his favourite newspaper. He wondered what the day would bring other than dull conversation, a lonely way home and a depressing meal in front of the TV.
His mind wandered back to his first wife. Their blissful happiness ... the vacation at the beach ... French red wine in simple glasses ... But then one day when he had come unexpectedly from a business trip ... Darkness had descended onto his life.
He was staring absent-mindedly out of the window, so he didn’t notice her the very first moment when she entered the café. Only when she passed his table, did he realize her extravagant dress, her rich lips and her slender waist. Was she looking for somebody? Had she noticed him? Did it mean anything that she slowed her steps a little bit when she approached his table?