Read and Identify

Definitions  Narrative: A narrative is a story that describes a sequence of events.  Narrator: The person or entity telling the story to the reader.  Point of View: The vantage point, or “viewing angle,” of the narrator.  Omniscient: “All Knowing.” It’s Latin:  Omnis = All  Sciens = Knowing

Author, Narrator, Reader: Author Writes A Story Narrator Tells that Story To the Reader! P.O.V.

The Narrator is a “Lens” Author Narrator Reader

Author, Narrator, Reader  Or, in other words: The author doesn’t tell the story to the reader. The author creates a narrator that tells the story to the reader.

First-Person POV  The narrator is a character in the story who:  Refers to himself or herself as “I” within the narrative  Tells the of events that happened to himself or herself  Is limited by what they can see and hear  Limits the reader to knowing only their personal opinions of events and other people

Third-Person Omniscient POV  The narrator is not a character in the story, but an “all-knowing” omniscient being (or entity) that automatically knows:  Everything that has happened in the story’s past  Everything that is happening in the story right now  Everything that happens anywhere in any place  Everything that happens inside the minds of any character  Everything that will happen in the story’s future

Third-Person Limited POV  The narrator is not a character in the story, but a storyteller that hovers close to one character. The Third Person Limited narrator knows:  Only what one character knows happened in the past  Only what one character knows is happening right now  Only what happens in that one character’s surroundings  Only what happens in that one character’s mind  Only what that character can guess will happen in the future

Summarize the Differences  First Person – the narrator is a character in the story.  Third Person – The narrator is NOT a character in the story.  Limited – The narrator can only see some things, or one thing at a time.  Omniscient – The narrator sees and knows everything all the time.

Summarize the Similarities FFirst Person & Third Person Limited BBoth tell the story from a limited vantage point. TThe reader gets limited information from one viewing angle in the story. IIn longer stories, the viewing angle can change, but the story is always told from one viewing angle at a time. TThird Person: Limited & Omniscient BBoth are NOT characters in the story, that’s why you call both of these “Third Person.”

Tell a Fractured Fairy Tale  Get into writing teams of four.  Pick a fairy tale to re-write.  You ALL must participate in the process of re-telling this story.  Write a new version from either Third Person Limited or First Person.  Show how the different points of view make the stories different using the Venn Diagram.  Good story suggestions:  Hansel and Gretel  Goldilocks and the Three Bears  The Three Little Pigs  Little Red Riding Hood  Three Billy Goats Gruff  Cinderella  The Frog Prince