Heterodiegetic narrator
A narrator who is not a character in the narrative they tell. Heterodiegetic narrators describe events they observe from outside, typically using third-person pronouns.
Real World
The narrator of Thomas Hardy's 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' is heterodiegetic, observing Tess from outside yet freely entering her thoughts, allowing Hardy to both judge society and generate reader sympathy simultaneously.
Exam Focus
Always specify whether a heterodiegetic narrator is omniscient or limited — this determines what information readers can and cannot access.
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