persona: the fictional voice (or mask) that a writer adopts to tell a story. Persona or voice is usually determined by a combination of subject matter and audience
"Nothing gives a sadder sense of decay, than this loss or suspension of the power to deal with unaccustomed things, and to keep up with the swiftness of the passing moment. It can merely be a suspended animation; for, were the power actually to perish, there would be little use for immortality. We are less than ghosts, for the time being, whenever this calamity befalls us."
-The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hawthorne comments on the novel to the reader in various places throughout the book; he takes on a friendly voice. Hawthorne's persona is that of an educated omniscient friend of the reader; he acts as a guide through the book, describing the scene, and warning about the future. Hawthorne does indeed do this to guide the reader, making sure his audience understands and knows what is happening and what the significance of it all is.
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