Valuing & judging

Judging in third person

Narrator contrasts with the characters

In third person, the narrator can have their own opinion about characters and events in the story.

For instance, in Peter Pan, Smee thinks of himself as a terrifying pirate who should be feared and hated by all.

But what does the narrator think of Smee?

There was little sound, and none agreeable save the whir of the ship’s sewing machine at which Smee sat, ever industrious and obliging, the essence of the commonplace, pathetic Smee. I know not why he was so infinitely pathetic, unless it were because he was so pathetically unaware of it.

Peter PanJ. M. BarrieSource
What can we see in this snippet?
'Pathetic' may not mean what you think it means here

What does Frederik think of himself and his idea, and what does the narrator think?

The pair of them turned about in their grand home, admiring themselves and each other, and then Frederik had the idea to commission a painting of themselves, dressed exactly as they were, in this exact room. He was so pleased with himself, this tiny man who thought himself big, that he did not see in his grand idea the seeds of his own ruin.

What does Cody think about her future, and what does the narrator think?

She skated through the empty streets watching her shadow dial past under the copper lights. She would be home soon. Except she wouldn’t, because home wasn't there anymore. Home was long gone. Sure, the house was there, but her parents and brother were right now in baskets swinging from the shoulders of a giant witch, who was carrying them into the woods beyond the edge of town. And Cody wouldn't find that out for another 20 minutes.

To write a variation
Your turn

If you've done the lesson on Point of View, you might remember that in third person a narrator can, if they want, stop narrating the story and just start talking to the audience about their own opinions about... anything.

We saw a little of that in the snippet above ("I know not why he was so infinitely pathetic...") but we can take it further.

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