Point of View

Point of View Determines who is telling, or narrating, the story; the perspective; vantage point from which an author presents a story.

First Person Point of View One of the characters is telling the story. “I, Me, My” throughout the narration are clues to 1st person Ex: As I walked to class, my cell phone fell out of my pocket. “Oh, no!” I thought, “I hope it didn’t break!” Effect on the reader: Character is easier to understand and relate to but not always reliable or trustworthy; we only get to see one perspective.

Third Person The story is told by a narrator outside of the story. 2 Types: Third Person Limited 2. Third Person Omniscient

Third Person Limited Narrator is outside of the story, showing the thoughts and feelings of only one character. Ex: As Karen walked to class, her cell phone fell out of her pocket. Her friend picked it up, and Karen anxiously hoped it wasn’t broken. Effect: Gives the impression that we are close to that ONE Character though viewing him/her from a distance; we still cannot see into the minds of other characters.

Third Person Omniscient God-like; all-knowing; narrator knows the thoughts and feelings – past, present, and future – of all characters. Ex: As Karen walked to class, her cell phone fell out of her pocket. Her friend, Michael, noticed and gladly picked it up for her. Karen anxiously hoped it wasn’t broken. Effect: We get to know what all characters are thinking and feeling and can foresee events happening without the characters knowing.

Sum it up When reading a story, think about… Who is telling the story? Is the narrator trustworthy? How does this affect the way we respond to the characters and events? How would the story be different if narrated from a different perspective??