What is the difference between a first person narrator and a third person limited narrator

The main difference between a first person narrator and a third person limited narrator lies in their narrative perspective and the level of information they provide about the story's events and characters.

First Person Narrator: In first person narration, the story is told by a character within the story, typically using the pronouns "I," "me," "my," and "we." This narrator has a limited perspective because they can only recount their own experiences and thoughts. They cannot provide direct insights into the thoughts and feelings of other characters unless those are expressed to the first person narrator. This type of narration allows readers to deeply connect with the narrator's personal viewpoint and experiences but can be unreliable if the narrator is biased, uninformed, or deliberately withholding information.

Third Person Limited Narrator: In third person limited narration, the story is told by an outside narrator using the pronouns "he," "she," "they," etc. This narrator focuses on the thoughts and experiences of one character at a time, providing a more objective account than first person but still limiting the scope to what that character knows, sees, and experiences. The third person limited narrator does not have access to the thoughts and feelings of all characters — that would be third person omniscient narration. This allows readers to maintain some distance from the characters while still offering an intimate look at the focal character's inner workings.