Can the narrator be the main charactor?

Question

For my summer reading, I am reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road. I have to write an additional chapter or rewrite the ending of the story by maintaining the "voice" of the main character. So my question is: Will my paper be written just like the book (the story is told from a narrator) or do i tell the story from the father or son's point of view?

Answer 1

Of course. You can do it either way. Knowing how the book ends, it would be nice to write from the son's POV. Or you can write it from the POV of the omniscient narrator like the novel is written. Either way I am glad to see you using that book. It is a wonderful story and WILL become a classic.

Anyone who tells you that you have to stick with the way the book is written has obviously never read any James Patterson. He switches back and forth from first person narration to third person omniscient all the time. It is a quite popular way of writing now. I do it myself. Sometimes I write through the eyes of my antagonist, sometimes through the eyes of the protagonist, and sometimes in the third person omniscient. With the way that book ends, it would make perfect sense to switch to having the boy narrate. Pax - C

Answer 2

IF you feel someone else's voice needs to be heard, I think you could switch without losing too much (especially if you're adding an additional chapter and something has happened to the narrator at the end of the book.) You could use it to tell how someone else saw the events transpire - maybe the narrator was totally off about the story throughout (in your opinion or the NEW voice's opinion.). We can all watch and experience the same things and end up with very different conclusions.

I've read a couple of books lately, My Sister's Keeper and The Last Days, where chapters were each told from a different character's point of view, and it worked.

If you're going to re-write the last chapter and the narrator has always been the voice you hear, I'd probably stay with it.

P.S. And after all of this, seems like your answer is in what you wrote - maintain the "voice" of the MAIN character, which is your narrator. If your teacher is open, you might be able to do something with the others.

Answer 3

i haven't read that book but since the assignment seems to be adding or changing some part of the book you need to stick with the same style. if the narrator is the one telling the story then he should still be telling it in your version. i think "maintaining the voice of the main character" means his style and personality. to keep him the way he was before not have him talking or acting out of character. i could be wrong about that but that's what i think. and yes the narrator can be the main character of the story especially if it is autobiographical or the narrator discussing the world around him. hope this helps.

Answer 4

I'm no expert, but if I were you, I'd write it just like the book. The narrator can definitely be the main character!

Good luck on it =]

Answer 5

If the story is told from a narrator's perspective, then keep it that way. You're obviously not supposed to change it.

Answer 6

Sounds like a neat premise. Why don't you try writing it from your own point of view, just to blow everyone's minds. That sounds more like an original thought than following everyone else's footsteps to me. Good luck whichever way you decide.

Answer 7

I BELIEVE it is still written in first-person.

Answer 8

duh