Identifying Narrative Perspective in Prose

Very Hard Prose Analysis Narrative Perspective

Consider the following passage from a contemporary literary novel:

"The echoes of laughter bounced off the walls, but inside, she felt a weight pressing on her chest, as if the cheerful sounds were foreign to her. The table was set, the candles flickered, and yet her mind was adrift, navigating through memories that felt both vivid and obscured. Each smile from her friends felt like a ghostly reminder of something lost, triggering a dissonance she couldn't articulate. As they clinked their glasses in celebration, she smiled, but it was a smile that trembled with the shadows of doubt. In that moment, she was both present and absent, a witness to her own life as if watching it unfold on a distant screen, not fully grasping the reality around her."

This passage employs a particular narrative perspective that shapes the reader's understanding of the character's emotional state. What point of view is primarily used in this excerpt?

First-person point of view, revealing the narrator’s inner thoughts.

Second-person point of view, directly addressing the reader.

Third-person limited perspective, focusing on one character’s experience.

Third-person omniscient perspective, providing insights into all characters.

Stream of consciousness technique representing fragmented thoughts.

Hint

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