The Rocking-Horse Winner

In what way does 3rd person point of view enhance the idea of appearance vs. reality in the story?

In what way does 3rd person point of view enhance the idea of appearance vs. reality in the story?

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The Rocking Horse Winner begins with the tone of a child's morality or cautionary tale. The third person narrator has a voice of authority to it, like a headmaster or teacher. The narrator moves through the point of view of different characters but always with an air of objectivity and often directs characterization. We find juxtaposition between appearance and reality as the story progresses. The narrator maintains the air of authority and reliability even through the magic realism that the story enters into. There is a sense that the narrator's unbiased acceptance of the fantastical influences reader acceptance of the fantastical as well. The boy getting divinatory help with the aid of his rocking horse is told in the same narrative tone as any of the events that are much more plausible. The narrator is able to maintain the style of the story like a children’s tale, while making the substance of the story far more complex.