Third Person Limited Point of View: Definition & Examples in Literature

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The third-person limited POV is one of the popular and prominent points of view found in many famous novels. From legendary authors like J. K Rowling to George R. R Martin opted for third-person limited narrative for their work of fiction.

The third-person limited POV gives the reader a reliable narrator with a trustworthy perspective.

What is Third Person Limited Point of View?

In the third-person limited narrative, an anonymous narrator tells the story following one character’s perspective, most often the perspective of the protagonist (main character) of the story.

  • This narrative is called the third person limited as the reader is limited to the thoughts of only one character in the whole novel or at a time.
  • While telling the story the narrator uses third-person pronouns such as ”he”, ”she”, ”his”, ”her”, ”it”, ”they”, ”them” or can refer to the character directly by their names.
  • In this narrative, the storyteller can even switch between multiple third-person limited points of view, if they need.
  • This is the most common point of view narrative used in the modern world and is mostly used in commercial fiction.
third person limited point of view definition and examples in literature

Examples of Third Person Limited Point of View-

Below are some of the best examples of third person limited point of view narrative used in popular literature-

third person omniscient point of view EXAMPLES

Something very painful was going on in Harry’s mind. As Hagrid’s story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before…

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE

Sometimes she did not know what she feared, what she desired: whether she feared or desired what had been or what would be, and precisely what she desired, she did not know.

ANN KARENINA

third person limited point of view wxamples

It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened. No wrong word Jonas thought. Frightened meant that deep, sickening feelings of something terrible about to happen.

THE GIVER

third person limited point of view examples

Femina Daza would have thought she was facing a madman if she had not had reason to believe that at that moment Florentino Ariza was inspired by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Her first impulse was to cure him for profaning the house when the body of her husband was still warm in the grave.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA

third person limited point of view examples

Faith retire, but found it hard to sleep. Strands of horsehair poked through the mattress cover and sheets….The long day had printed itself on her brain, and when she closed her eyes, she saw gray skies, and dark turbulent waves….She opened her eyes and as she took in the unfamiliar canopy above, her memories flooded back.

THE LIE TREE

  • 1984 by George Orwell
third person limited point of view examples

Winston stopped writing, partly because he was suffering from cramp.He did not know what had made him pour out this stream of rubbish. But the curious thing was that while he was doing so a totally different memory had clarified itself in his mind…

1984

third person limited point of view examples

He could hear birds singing, and feel the river moving beneath the boat as the sweep of the oars sent them towards the pale pink dawn. After so long in darkness, the world was so sweet that Jaime Lannister felt dizzy…. He amused himself by picturing her in one of Cersei’s silken gowns in place of her studded leather jerkin.

A STORM OF SWORDS

Neel Rana

About the Author- Neel Rana is a young adult fiction writer and children’s book author. He is a literary enthusiast and the founder of Pandora Post. Neel holds a degree in BA Honors in English Literature and has been writing since 2017. His magnum opus YA short storybook, “The Drunken Ghost” has been well received by the readers.