When writing a story, a lot of people think about which way they should write it. Should they use third person, second person, or first person? In general, it’s determined by your preference. However, just recently a friend of mind and I got into a debate about which one is better to use to tell a story. More specifically, it was about first person and third person.
My friend argued that first person was better because you can make the reader feel like they are directly inside the character. What the character sees is what you see. As a result, not only can you make them feel like they are taking part in the scene (as the main character) but also do a lot of neat tricks with only using one pair of eyes to tell the story. He then gave an example of a main character written in first person where they were getting revenge. However, the entire time what the character saw was an illusion, and the character was in a coma the entire time.
I agreed with his last statement but also disagreed. I argued that third person was better. More specifically, third person limited because the reader knows the thoughts and feelings of the character. This in turn gives a direction for the characters actions. Basically, it helps the reader eliminate the thought of “what just happened?”. And sometimes, this extends to every character. That way the reader knows that the antagonist might like the female lead, but the female lead doesn’t know that which causes multiple reactions amongst the readers. It generates a response and discussion.
First person does have the advantage of making the reader feel like they are the one lifting the sword in a bloody battle (scene in the story) but because of that there is a lack of details. The reader might not know the setting of the scene so the picture they imagine will just be a general battle ground they’ve seen on TV when the writer had a specific setting for the battle scene.
But I wonder what you guys’ think is better. Do you prefer third person or first person? Why? Don’t be afraid to let me know down in the comments.
