question about technique

[baltimoreandme.livejournal.com]

I am struggling with a technical problem - hopefully I can explain it in a way that makes sense.

I'm writing a story with a limited third person point of view - e.g. the entire narrative is funneled through the awareness of a particular character. However, I want to get aspects of other characters' views/personalities, etc. across to the reader that the main character would not necessarily be aware of. In other words, I want there to be more in what the main character sees/notices/hears than she herself realizes. And I'm struggling with how to do this.

Has anyone addressed this problem? Or - any recommendations of novels or short stories where this kind of thing is done well?

Thanks!

Comments

[samiface.livejournal.com]

If I could make a suggestion - you may want to have the main character noticing actions of the second character without being able to properly analyze them. For example: Christine keeps noticing that Abigails' eyes have been very red lately. She recommends a good concealer. In this way, you can exemplify not only that Abigail has been crying often, but also that Christine is too tied up in her own life to think there's anything wrong.

[baltimoreandme.livejournal.com]

Thank you -- that's a good idea.