Final answer:
The third-person limited mode of narrative can lead to sketchily drawn characters because the story is conveyed through the perspective of a single character, often omitting detailed insights into other characters' thoughts and motivations.
Step-by-step explanation:
A disadvantage of the third-person limited mode of narrative is that the characters' personalities can be sketchy. This form of storytelling restricts the viewpoint to that of a single character, often the protagonist, thereby only revealing the perspectives, feelings, and thoughts of that one character. It's a narrative constraint that can lead to the other characters being less explored and described, which might result in less developed character portrayals in the story.
When a writer utilizes third-person limited narration, the audience experiences the story through the eyes of the main character. This can provide deep insight into the protagonist's inner world, but it often does so at the cost of fully understanding the supporting characters. These other characters may appear only briefly or be less detailed because the story is focused through a singular lens. The resulting narrative might not convey the full breadth of personality traits and motivations that give life to complex secondary characters.
On the other hand, third-person omniscient narration offers a complete overview of all characters, as the narrator has access to everyone's thoughts, feelings, and backgrounds. Contrasting this with the limited perspective, omniscient narration provides a more rounded view of the story's characters, potentially eliminating the issue of 'sketchy' personalities.
Moreover, the organization of the narrative plays a crucial role in character development. Ineffective use of tenses, poor transitions, and disorganization can exacerbate the problem of undeveloped characters in a third-person limited narrative. Actively seeking to balance the amount of detail given to different characters and using coherent narrative structures are important in avoiding this pitfall.