Final answer:
The 'fly-on-the-wall' point of view is another term for third-person objective, in which the narrator observes events without internal insight into characters. It contrasts with third-person limited, focusing on one or two characters, and third-person omniscient, which has a God-like, all-knowing perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Third-Person Objective Point of View
Another name for the third-person objective point of view is often referred to as the "fly-on-the-wall" perspective. This narrative style is characterized by a narrator who tells the story without delving into the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters, providing a more objective window into the story's events. The third-person objective point of view is limited to what can be seen and heard, much like a camera recording a scene.
In contrast, third-person limited and third-person omniscient are other forms of third-person narration. Third-person limited aligns closely with one or two characters and only shares information accessible to those characters. Third-person omniscient, however, provides a God-like perspective where the narrator knows everything about all characters, including their thoughts and unspoken feelings.
Third-person narration is common in both fiction and academic writing. It uses pronouns like he, she, it, or they, and emphasizes the information over the author's personal perspective. Some third-person narrators may offer unreliable accounts, while others can be very reliable, depending on their level of knowledge about the events being described.