The relationship of the storyteller to the story Point of View: The relationship of the storyteller to the story

Point of View: First person Second person Third person limited Third person omniscient Third person objective

First Person: the narrator, a character in the story, refers to himself or herself as “I,” “me,” “myself,” or similar words. First person might be used to personalize the story and add emotional impact, since the reader is told the story from a narrator who is directly involved. It also can allow for surprises, as the narrator cannot read the thoughts and motivations of other characters, or might speculate and be wrong about such thoughts or motivations. Because a narrator can be wrong, first-person narration can sometimes be referred to as the unreliable narrator.

I walked up to the door of the dark, ominous castle I walked up to the door of the dark, ominous castle. I heard strange noises from within the castle, yet I was compelled to continue on. Though I could hardly believe I was doing it, I turned the knob of the door and slowly, cautiously entered.

Second Person: A story in which you the reader are made a character, or when the narrator seems to be speaking to someone. Second-person pronouns such as you, your, and yourself appear. Second person may be acceptable when writing a letter to a specific person, when giving direction or instruction, or when writing dialogue between characters in a story.

You walk up to the dark, ominous castle You walk up to the dark, ominous castle. You hear rumblings, whispers from within, but continue on anyway. Your curiosity is getting the better of you, and it draws you on to either satisfaction or doom. Though rational thought and common sense tell you otherwise, you turn the knob, edge open the door, and slowly, cautiously enter.

Third Person: Third person is the most common form of narrative (storytelling) writing. Third person occurs when the narrator is not a character in the story. This might be done by a writer to lend credibility to the story. Third person can seem believable when the narrator is not a character in the story.

Third Person Limited: The story is told by a detached narrator (one who is not a character in the story), but we the readers are only given insight into the mind of a single character. Think of the narrator as a movie camera following only the life of one character in a story, and when other characters are not immediately present, we know nothing of their actions or whereabouts.

Creeping up to the door, he heard strange noises radiating from within Creeping up to the door, he heard strange noises radiating from within. Though frightened, he continued on. Still unsure, and incredulous that he might actually be doing this, he turned the knob and slowly, cautiously entered.

Third Person Omniscient: The story is told by a detached narrator who knows the thoughts, feelings, actions, and whereabouts of everyone and everything in the story at all times.

Creeping up to the door, he heard from within the castle the strange sounds of the tortured souls which haunted it. He knew nothing of the folkloric legends surrounding this place, and he quickly dismissed the howlings as a noise merely created by the wind rustling through the old mortar bricks and rotted wood. Slowly, cautiously, he turned the knob, oblivious to the disaster awaiting him beyond the door.

Third Person objective: also referred to as the camera's eye because in this point of view the narrator describes only what can be seen, not what is going on inside the heads of the characters. The narrator also makes no judgments about characters or their actions, so characters are not described as sad, happy, or annoying, for example. Those judgments could only be inferred by the reader based upon the actions or dialogues of characters.

A man walks up large, wooden door A man walks up large, wooden door. From the other side of the door emanate indiscernible noises. Slowly he turns the knob, opens the door, and after a moment’s hesitation, enters the dark room.