Final answer:
Third-person narratives utilize a third-person point of view for neutrality, with the story narrated by an outside, non-character entity. There are third-person limited and omniscient types, with the latter providing a more reliable and comprehensive viewpoint. This perspective is widely used in fiction and academic writing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Third-person narratives are usually stated in the third-person to give a writer's view a sense of neutrality. In these narratives, the story is told by a narrator who is not a character in the story, but an outside entity looking at the characters from an outside perspective. This form of narration provides a neutral and more objective account of events compared to first-person or second-person narratives.
There are two main types of third-person narration: third-person limited and third-person omniscient. The third-person limited narrator presents the story from the perspective of one character, allowing the audience to see the world through that character's eyes, which might contain a slight bias.
On the other hand, the third-person omniscient narrator has access to all the characters' thoughts and feelings, providing a comprehensive view of the story that tends to be more reliable.
The third-person point of view is customary not only in fiction but also in academic writing, such as research papers and reports. The use of he, she, it, and they, emphasizes the information instead of the writer, making it a preferred choice for portraying an impartial stance.