Happy Monday! Independent Silent Reading

Elements of a Short Story Copy the sides when you see the turkey

Elements of a Short Story Character Setting Plot Point of View Irony Theme

4. Point of View The angle or perspective from which the story is told Ask yourself: who is telling the story? how do we know what is happening?

First Person POV When the narrator is a character in the story This narrator is personally involved with other characters and the plot He/she is usually the protagonist We find out only what this character knows, thinks, and witnesses

Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters, using the first person pronoun “I”. “Six days into what should be the greatest two months of my life, and it's turned into a nightmare. I don't even know who'll read this. I guess someone will find it eventually. Maybe a hundred years from now. For the record... I didn't die on Sol 6. Certainly the rest of the crew thought I did, and I can't blame them. Maybe there'll be a day of national mourning for me, and my Wikipedia page will say, "Mark Watney is the only human being to have died on Mars."

Second Person POV When the narrator refers to the protagonist with the personal pronoun “you”. Places you in the shoes of a character within the story Not commonly used

The main character in the story is referred to using the second person pronoun “you”. “Rubbing your aching head, you take in the scene around you. Nearby you see a narrow dirt road, and beyond it a fast-running brook. The road disappears into dense woods on either side of the field. You hear the sound of hooves, and a strange clanking noise. Someone is coming! You duck behind a tree as two men on horseback ride toward you. They are wearing shining metal armor. One of them carries a white banner with a golden lion on it. They must be knights! You watch as they rein in their horses and dismount just a few yards away.”

The main character in the story is referred to using the second person pronoun “you”.

Third Person POV The story is told using a narrator who is located outside of the action of the story and uses third person pronouns such as “he”, “she”, “his”, “her”, “they” etc. Third Person point of view can be broken up into three different types: Limited Omniscient Objective

Third Person Limited POV The narrator is NOT a character in the story. The narrator follows the protagonist and has access to only his/her thoughts and feelings Other characters are seen through their actions and dialogue only

Third person, told from the viewpoint of a character in the story. “They all laughed, and while they were laughing, the quiet boy moved his bare foot on the sidewalk and merely touched, brushed against a number of red ants that were scurrying about on the sidewalk. Secretly his eyes shining, while his parents chatted with the old man, he saw the ants hesitate, quiver, and lie still on the cement. He sensed they were cold now.”

Third Person Omniscient POV The narrator is not a character in the story The narrator has access to the feelings and thoughts of ALL characters The narrator can be in multiple places at the same time All knowing, all seeing: God-like

The narrator has the power to show the reader what is happening though a number of characters’ eyes. “Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of soft brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rather vain. Fifteen-year-old Jo was very tall, thin, and brown, and reminded one of a colt, for she never seemed to know what to do with her long limbs, which were very much in her way. Elizabeth, or Beth, as everyone called her, was a rosy, smooth-haired, bright-eyed girl of thirteen, with a shy manner, a timid voice, and a peaceful expression which was seldom disturbed. Amy, though the youngest, was a most important person, in her own opinion at least. ”

Third Person Objective POV The narrator is not a character in the story The narrator does not have access to the thoughts and feelings of the characters The narrator follows one character Knows only what is observed

“Objective Point of View” writesville.com Third person, told as if from a camera that follows the characters. Only what is said and done is recorded. “Jennifer stirred in bed. The cotton sheet clung to her body as she rolled to face the nightstand. With eyes half open, she reached over to switch the alarm clock off when the man in the shadows reached out and grabbed her arm. Her scream pierced the quiet night and died abruptly as she was forced violently back into the dark oblivion.” “Objective Point of View” writesville.com

What point of view is being used in each example Practice What point of view is being used in each example

Practice: 1. The three boys walked down the street in a single line. They did not speak to each other. They stared straight ahead. A. First person B. Second person C. Third person limited D. Third person omniscient E. Third person objective E

Practice: 2. As I approached the entrance to the high school, I was suddenly nervous. I had been looking forward to the ninth grade all summer. Why was I freaking out now? A. First person B. Second person C. Third person limited D. Third person omniscient E. Third person objective A

Practice: 3. Janet thought about the last time she’d seen Sandra and the argument they’d had. It made her nervous to consider what might happen this time. For her part, Sandra thought it would be best if she and Janet move on, and forgot about their argument. A. First person B. Second person C. Third person limited D. Third person omniscient E. Third person objective D

Practice: 4. Aiden stared at his test paper and began to panic. He regretted that he hadn’t read the book. He wondered what his parents would say when they saw his grade. All around him other students were writing quickly, filling pages with their essay. Sabrina looked up and smiled at him. A. First person B. Second person C. Third person limited D. Third person omniscient E. Third person objective C

Practice: 5. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go. A. First person B. Second person C. Third person limited D. Third person omniscient E. Third person objective B

The English Words that Cause Confusion Homophones The English Words that Cause Confusion

Homophones - words that sound alike but are spelled differently with a different meaning.

It’s vs. Its It’s with an apostrophe is a contraction of it is or it has Its means something belonging to it The confusion arises because although there is no apostrophe when something belongs to “it,” there is an apostrophe when something belongs to a named person or thing.

It’s vs. Its Have a look at these examples as they will help you understand where the problem comes in… It is (it’s) over there It has (it’s) been over there since yesterday What is (what’s) over there? Your sweater is (sweater’s) over there His bed is over there Her bed is over there Its bed is over there

Your vs. You’re Your describes something that belongs to you. My book Your book His/her book Their book You’re is a contraction of you are. I am (I’m) You are (you’re) He/she is (he’s/she’s) They are (they’re)

Your vs. You’re

Their/There/They’re Their describes something that belongs to them My hat Your hat His/her hat Their hats There shows where something is My hat is over there Their hats are over there They’re is a contraction of they are My hat is over there where they’re sitting Your hat is over there where they’re sitting Their hats are over there where they’re sitting

Two/Too/To Two is always a number - the number 2 For example: The two boys shivered in the cold. Too can be used in 2 ways: - to mean excessively Ex. too far, too expensive - to mean also or as well Ex. Will you be skating too? To is used in 2 ways: - to show direction Ex. He passed the ball to his brother as part of a verb Ex. He wanted to read the new Harry Potter book.

Try this: Your/You’re not going two/too/to the park? Its/it’s not going to be much longer before their/they’re/there here/hear. There/their/there is going to be a major storm starting at two/too/to P.M. Its/it’s not only your/you’re house, its/it’s mine to/two/too.