Elements of Literature Point of View

“The last man on Earth sat alone in a room “The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock at the door.” --the world’s shortest horror story -Frederick Brown

Point of View The manner in which a story is being told—including who is telling the story and how much information they can reveal. The way the author allows the reader to “see” and “hear” what is happening in the story Point of View determines how much (or how little) information the reader gets

Point of View Types of POV: First Person Third Person Omniscient Third Person Limited Third Person Objective Second Person

P.O.V. continued Characteristics: Signal Words: I, me, my, mine, we, First Person The narrator is also a character in the story. The narrator offers a personal account of their own experiences or describes what happens to other characters as he or she sees it Characteristics: Limited: focused on only one character’s thoughts and viewpoints Describes only what the narrator sees or hears Signal Words: I, me, my, mine, we, us, ours

P.O.V. continued Third Person Signal Words: The narrator is not a character The narrator is outside of the action Storyteller or reporter Signal Words: he, she, her, they, them 3rd person also refers to characters by their names

P.O.V. continued 3rd Person Omniscient (all-knowing) point of view Can see the thoughts & emotions of all (or numerous) characters Can report on events happening in different locations at the same time

P.O.V. continued 3rd Person Limited focuses on only one character’s thoughts and viewpoints Can only report on what they see or hear

P.O.V. continued 3rd Person Objective “Reporter Style” Used in nonfiction Describes only what can be seen or heard Detached; Lacks emotion (no thoughts or feelings)

P.O.V. continued Second Person -- the author uses “you” and speaks directly to the reader; Very rare Characteristics The author speaks directly to the reader Told from “your” perspective The reader feels like he or she is in the action Signal Words You, your

Narrator The narrator is the voice that tells a story. The narrator is not the same as the writer. Sometimes the narrator is a character in the story At other times, the narrator is an outside voice

Unreliable Narrator As a reader, we must always ask if we can trust the narrator. Some narrators are unreliable. An unreliable narrator is one who tells a story or interprets events in a way that makes the reader doubt what he or she is saying. An unreliable narrator is usually a character in the story. A narrator can be unreliable for different reasons: Too young to understand May not have all the facts Too emotional; unstable

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What is happening here? TRUE! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily --how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

Sentence Structure = Pace It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees --very gradually --I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.

A little more convincing Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded --with what caution --with what foresight --with what dissimulation I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. Wait...what?!

What do you think? Can we trust this narrator?