Point of View What is the author’s purpose? What is the theme? How does an author choose which point of view to use?

The Point of Point of View Author decides how much information the reader needs. Eg. In a murder mystery, we may only see the evidence from the detective’s view (limited omniscient or first person) and the reader must solve it alongside the protagonist. OR we can see the mystery from both the detective AND the villains point of view in (omniscient or limited omniscient) so we can see the dramatic irony as the mystery begins to be solved. This is better if we want to sympathise with both characters or create a feeling of excitement as they clash or as the bad guy plans the next act of crime.

The point of point of view 1.The point of view determines how the reader will respond to the theme, characters, and conflict of the story 2.Reinforces the theme 3.Sympathize with the character or not? 4.Focus on particular devices besides characterization 5.Allows for bias or NO bias 6.See opinions of the protagonist from other perspectives 7.Guide the reader to a particular conclusion or surprise the reader

Omniscient 1.Gives greater flexibility and scope to the author as the reader sees all, hears all and knows all. 2.Author is in control of what information the reader is exposed to 3.The writer may enter the mind of all characters or only a few 4.Hard to write this way as the speaker has to have its own “voice” 5.Can be in the head of all of the characters at any one time. 6.For example, a story may be told from the point of view of a love-struck hero but if the author wants, we can then see into the head of the other character and get their side of the story.

Limited Omniscient 1.Tells from the view point of ONE character at a time using “he” or “she” 2.The author knows more about this character than even the character knows. Can be useful for a story that is being “narrated” 3.Allows to switch characters as many times as necessary, even within a scene Eg. A camera is panning on a party scene and dips into anyone’s head and perhaps more than one person at a time. Closer to real life since it acquaints us with the world through the mind and senses of only one person

Objective 1.The author can only give what is seen and heard, they cannot comment, interpret or enter a character’s mind. The reader is a spectator since they can see what the characters do and what they say. 2.The reader is forced to make their own interpretations. 3.Can be called the “dramatic” point of view because the author must show the reader, not tell the reader and this creates a dramatic effect. 4.This point of view works best for stories with no human characters or reflect an external conflict 5.If emphasis is on other devices such as satire, irony and symbolism then this POV works better 6.If the author does NOT want the reader to sympathize with the character, then this works too.

First Person 1.The author IS the character in thoughts, feelings, actions 2.More intimate with the character 3.Story comes directly from the participant. 4.No direct interpretations by the author 5.The words and actions of the characters offer an indirect and ironic interpretation of a situation. 6.No narrator, like no human being, has complete self-knowledge. Therefore, works well in coming of age stories OR self reflective stories when the character experiences inner conflict and is trying to work it out. 7.The writer may use this technique to create humour, satire or pathos For example, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the point of view of Scout, a young child. She doesn't grasp the complex racial and socioeconomic relations of her town — but the reader does, because Scout gives information that the reader can interpret. Also, Scout's innocence reminds the reader of a simple, "it's-not-fair" attitude that contrasts with the rationalizations of other characters.