Examples of First-Person Omniscient
In literature, point of view refers to the perspective from which the ideas are conveyed. Pieces employing first-person point of view use words such as "I" and "me," describing events and concepts from the viewpoint of someone watching or involved in the action. Omniscient narrators can see events occurring elsewhere or know the thoughts of other characters. First-person omniscient point of view combines these elements. Although seldom used, some examples illustrate this point of view.
Knowing It All
First-person omniscient narrators tell a story using first-person pronouns such as "I" and "my," but they also know what other people are doing and thinking. Markus Zusak's "The Book Thief" tells the story from the point of view of the character Death, who can see what occurs everywhere. Death explains what some other characters are thinking when he says, "They had no qualms about stealing, but they needed to be told." "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold uses first-person omniscience to relate events from the point of view of a young woman who has died. Since she is dead, she can see everything. One more example is "Borges and I" from Jorge Luis Borges. Although the speaker's identity is unclear, he knows the thoughts of others including Borges and Spinoza, stating Spinoza "knew that all things long to persist in their being."
References
Writer Bio
Kristie Sweet has been writing professionally since 1982, most recently publishing for various websites on topics like health and wellness, and education. She holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Northern Colorado.
