Linguistic indicators of point of view
Task B - Given and New Information
When we give information to one another we distinguish between information
which is new for the person we are talking to and information which is
given (i.e. assumed to be known already by the other person). So, if A
tells B 'My flatmate has given the television to a neighbour', it would
appear that A assumes that B knows the flatmate and which television is
being referred to, but does not know the identity of the neighbour. The
neighbour is being referred to indefinitely (through the use of the indefinite
article 'a') and the flatmate and television are referred to definitely
(through the use of the possessive pronoun and the definite article respectively).
So, one way in which viewpoint can be indicated or controlled in texts
is by presenting information referred to definitely or indefinitely. As
stories portray fictional worlds, we often won't have knowledge of the
items being referred to at all, but the use of definite and indefinite
reference will lead us to pretend to ourselves as we read that we know,
or do not know, something already. This can be seen most clearly at the
beginnings of stories.
(i) Read carefully and compare the two story openings
below. One of the openings is from a well-known folktale and the other
is from a famous book written for children. Which opening makes you feel
the most 'involved', or 'close' to what is being described, and why?
(A) Once upon a time there lived a sweet little girl, who was beloved
by everyone who saw her; but her grandmother was so excessively fond
of her that she never knew when she had done enough for her (1). One
day the grandmother presented the little girl with a red velvet cap
(2).
(Little Red Riding Hood)
(B) One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing
to do with it - it was the black kitten's fault entirely (1). For the
white kitten had been having its face washed by an old cat for the last
quarter of an hour (2).
(Lewis Carroll  ,
Through the Looking Glass)
(ii) Now write down your answers and
compare your conclusions with ours.
Our conclusion
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