focalization
Who sees story
Focalization is a narrative technique describing the perspective through which a story is filtered—whose eyes we see through, whose consciousness shapes what gets revealed.
Distinct from narration (who tells), focalization concerns who perceives.
A third-person narrator might focalize through a single character, limiting readers to that character's knowledge and impressions: The novel shifts focalization between the detective and the killer.
The term comes from literary theory but appears in film and game studies as well.
Position from which something's considered
- narratorOne who tells events
- stream-of-consciousnessNarrative of unfiltered thought
- omniscientUnlimited in awareness
- limitedRestricted in extent
third-person · first-person · voice · subjectivity · protagonist · storytelling · characterization · foreshadowing
Way of seeing things
- angleGeometric measure of rotation
- vantagePosition of advantage
- standpointPosition for judgment
- gazeFixed, intent look
frame · lens · outlook · orientation · subjectivity · interpretation · perception · horizon
Concentrated attention point
- sharpnessKeenness of edge, mind, or image
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- clarityState of being understandable
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
aperture · convergence · refraction · adjustment · calibration · precision · distinctness · crispness
Making textual features prominent
- highlightingEmphasizing key parts
- accentuationStress placed on syllables
- salienceState of standing out
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
stress · underlining · amplification · magnification · reinforcement · weight · significance · dominance
Sustained single-minded attention
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- engrossmentTotal absorption in something
- immersionState of being submerged
- fixationPersistent mental attachment
single-mindedness · centering · mindfulness · meditation · contemplation · preoccupation · intensity · dedication
point-of-view
Position from which something's considered
- narratorOne who tells events
- stream-of-consciousnessNarrative of unfiltered thought
- omniscientUnlimited in awareness
limited · third-person · first-person · voice · subjectivity · protagonist · storytelling · characterization · foreshadowing · flashback
viewpoint
Way of seeing things
- angleGeometric measure of rotation
- vantagePosition of advantage
- standpointPosition for judgment
gaze · frame · lens · outlook · orientation · subjectivity · interpretation · perception · horizon · aspect
focus
Concentrated attention point
- sharpnessKeenness of edge, mind, or image
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- clarityState of being understandable
lens · aperture · convergence · refraction · adjustment · calibration · precision · distinctness · crispness · blur
foregrounding
Making textual features prominent
- highlightingEmphasizing key parts
- accentuationStress placed on syllables
- salienceState of standing out
prominence · stress · underlining · amplification · magnification · reinforcement · weight · significance · dominance · preeminence
concentration
Sustained single-minded attention
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- engrossmentTotal absorption in something
- immersionState of being submerged
fixation · single-mindedness · centering · mindfulness · meditation · contemplation · preoccupation · intensity · dedication · discipline
focalizationdiffusion
Passive molecular spreading
dispersal · dispersion · scattering · panoramic view · decentering
focused, focal, focuses, refocus, refocusing, focalize, focalizes, prefocus, focalise