Focalization

Focalization is a narratological concept introduced by the French theorist Gérard Genette to designate through whose eyes, through whose consciousness the depicted events are presented — that is, 'who sees', as opposed to the question 'who speaks' (the narrator). One distinguishes zero focalization (omniscient narration, when the narrator knows more than any character), internal (events are shown through the perception of a particular character), and external (the narrator describes only what is visible from outside, without penetrating the characters' consciousness). Focalization refines the analysis of narrative perspective by separating the source of speech from the source of vision. Internal focalization, which immerses the reader in the hero's perception, is characteristic of psychological and impressionist prose — the novellas of Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, where the world is shown through the sensory and emotional experience of the character. The concept of focalization is an important tool of modern narrative analysis.