What is the relationship of the narrator to the story?

The narrator is the voice that tells the story. The narrator's relationship to the story depends on the particular story. The narrator can be the main character in the story, an important character, a minor character, or someone who is not in the story at all.

The choice of narrator is a major factor in setting the tone of the story. The writer may choose to tell his story as if one friend is telling another a story or a parent is telling a bedtime story to his child, The narrator could be the village elder passing along a tribal legend or a felon trying to explain what happened to the police. The choices are limitless.

The character and attitude of the narrator color and limit the story. We see and hear only what the narrator sees and hears and chooses to tell us. The narrator may love, hate, admire, envy, or be confused by the characters in the story. Whatever the narrator feels will influence his version of the story -- which may or may not be the truth of what happened. If the narrator is a child, he may relate events that he himself does not understand. The narrator may not know all the facts and may misunderstand what is going on. The narrator can exaggerate, leave things out, or just plain lie as he tells his story.

Where the narrator is telling the story helps set the mood of the story. A story can be told over drinks at a bar, in a prison, at a country club, over a campfire, or on a cross-country journey.

When choosing a narrator, writers try to pick the person who can best tell the story and make the reader feel what he wants them to feel.

First answer by Berealexander. Last edit by Berealexander. Contributor trust: 4 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 2 [recommend question].