The Signature of All Things

In a literary work, point of view describes the perspective of the narrator who is telling the story and has a profound impact on the tone of the story as a whole. Depending on the stylistic decision of the author, the narrator may either be a character in the story or a more distant and detached voice. The omniscient (“all-knowing”) point of view is a perspective that has access to the entire world of the story, not just the present action but potentially any moment in time. Sometimes called a God-like point of view, this perspective can also perceive and convey the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of each character in addition to their actions.

The omniscient point of view is not the voice of the author but is instead a literary construct used to tell the story, even though the omniscient narrator can step out of the narrative to address the reader, as occasionally happens in The Signature of All Things. Though less frequently used in contemporary literature, the omniscient point of view was characteristic of 18th- and 19th-century novels and is therefore a fitting choice for the narration of this novel, which is set during that time frame and consciously attempts to emulate the literary

Unlock all 66 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App

+ Printable PDF

+ Literary AI Tools

Unlock Full Library