First-person narration, or “I” narration, is from the point of view of a single character who relates the events of the story as if he were speaking to the reader directly. In most cases, the narrator is himself a character in the story. For example, Holden Caulfield, the hero of “The Catcher in the Rye,” delivers the tale in the first person, as does Dr. Watson, the sidekick in the Sherlock Holmes stories. In rare cases, the narrator is unaffiliated with the story and merely acts as an observer. In these cases, the first-person narration provides a subjectivity that can enhance the story in some manner.
Second-person narration, or “you” narration, essentially places the reader in the role of one of the characters. The writer describes the character’s actions as he would if directing him in a play; for example, “you walk down the street and into the bar, where you order a drink.” The effect creates an intimacy between the reader and one of the characters, bringing them closer together. Second-person narration is extremely rare, though it does occur from time to time. Tom Robbins’ book “Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas” constitutes a prominent example.
Third-person narration is the most flexible form of literary narration. The writer refers to all of the characters as “he,” “she” or “it,” divorcing himself from the story completely but able to shift and comment as the story dictates. In omniscient third-person narration, the narrator knows everything about the story and can present any details as the flow and pacing suggest. In limited third-person narration, the writer keeps his perspective limited, usually to a single character: He may know everything about that character -- including his past, personality and thoughts as they occur -- but he doesn’t allow the narration to expand beyond those limits. Limited third-person narration sometimes is used in mystery stories in which the writer wants you to know everything about the detective hero but nothing at all about the rest of the story, thus preserving the surprises of the mystery.
In some books, the narration shifts narrative voice depending on the needs of the plot. For example, one chapter appears in first-person narration, while a later chapter switches to third-person narration. Or a book could start with first-person narration from one character’s perspective, then shift to another character’s perspective while still remaining in first person. A prominent example of alternating narration is Stephen King’s novel “Christine,” which uses first-person narration in the first and third parts of the book but third-person omniscient narration in the second part.