The document discusses the difference between an author and a narrator. The author is the person who writes the story, play, or poem, while the narrator is a character within the work who speaks to the audience. The purposes of the author and narrator are usually separate - the author aims to convey themes or elicit feelings from readers, while the narrator has purposes within the story itself. To identify the author or narrator's purpose, it's important to consider whether you are quoting a narrator/character or discussing broader effects of the work.