04_Biblica_1_A_Ossandon_Layout 1 05/11/12 12:18 Pagina 396 396 JUAN CARLOS OSSANDÓN of the episode, it was said that the main scene, in terms of the pres- ence/absence of the characters, was found in 10,50-52a. Therefore, with slight differences, the analysis of the temporal point of view confirms the analysis of the plot. The narrator adopts the spatial point of view of Bartimaeus dur- ing much of the story as well as his psychological point of view, though more briefly (10,47-48). The internal verbs can be taken as a signal that the narrator has adopted the psychological point of view of one of the characters 51. Mark 10,47 contains the only verb of perception in the episode: Bartimaeus has heard. Hearing has a special force, since audition is his main way of contact with the ex- ternal world. In this case, the narrator simply mentions Bartimaeus’ perception. It is an inside view, brief and sober, but real. Bartimaeus cries out because he cannot see whether Jesus is near or far, and the reader shares his ignorance — he or she does not know where Jesus is, either. He or she receives the information through Barti- maeus’ point of view. The narrative point of view not only is close to Bartimaeus, but it has got into him 52. This closeness contributes to the great liveliness of the episode, which seems to be based on the first-person narrative of Bartimaeus himself, as noted long ago: “The story seems throughout to be told, more so perhaps than any other miracle recorded in Mark, from the point of view of the man healed” 53. This remark is exact insofar as it is not extended to the ideological plane of the point of view. To be sure, the narrator’s closeness to Bartimaeus in the spatial and psychological planes of point of view has led some scholars to incidence between the duration of the narration time with that of the story time (isochrony), like the reproduction of a dialogue. Normally, the narrator adopts the speed of scene for the most important moments. 51 See YAMASAKI, Watching, 169-170. 52 In 10,49, the spatial distance implies automatically that the narrative abandons the psychological point of view of Bartimaeus, who does not know what is going on. In replacement of Bartimaeus’, the narrative does not take any character’s point of view on the psychological plane. Jesus’ actions are described from outside. The reader supposes that Jesus has heard Bartimaeus’ cries, but nothing is explicitly said. He or she ignores what Jesus thinks or feels and this increases the dramatic tension, for calling the blind man still does not imply the acceptance of the contract. 53 C.H. TURNER, The Gospel according to St. Mark. Introduction and Com- mentary (London 1928) 52.