Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
An omniscient observer is an all-knowing narrator who has access to the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of all characters in a story. They can provide insights into multiple characters' perspectives.
Related terms
Third-Person Limited Omniscient Narrator: A narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character but presents the story from a third-person perspective.
Authorial Intrusion: When an omniscient narrator directly addresses or comments on the reader or inserts their own opinions into the narrative.
Free Indirect Discourse: A narrative technique that blends a character's thoughts with the third-person narration, blurring the line between direct quotation and indirect description.