Style Analysis
Unit 4
Point of View
The term point of view describes the perspective from which an author
chooses to present and essay, story, or other piece of writing. There are
several points of view that authors often use. They include the following:
A. First-person narrator – used when one of the characters tells the story
and speaks as I, and eyewitness; you should look for phrases or sentences
with I, me, or my that show the narrator’s thoughts and feelings.
B. Third-person limited – used when we see the story from only one
character’s point of view, but not first-hand.
C. Third-person omniscient – used when the point of view is all-knowing, not
restricted in any way; for either third-person limited or omniscient, you
should look for phrases and sentences that describe the emotions, feelings,
and reactions of the characters. You will be able to see if the point of view
is limited or omniscient by the range of view points presented.
The steps to follow in analyzing point of view are similar to those used for
diction and detail analysis.
Read through “The Rattler” again and try to identify the point of view.
Sometimes you see it immediately, and other times you must read the whole
passage first. Then circle, highlight, or underline phrases that show the point
of view.
Here are a few examples:
“I walked out into the desert”
“I thought I was the only thing abroad”
“ I stopped short”
“My first instinct”
Before you start the point of view paragraph, you need a topic sentence for it.
This sentence should include the phrase point of view and give a focus for the
paragraph. Here is a sample for “The Rattler”:
The first-person point of view
reinforces the drama and tension in
the scene.
The next paragraph follows a familiar pattern: you will write one example
sentence with words and phrases you have circled, highlighted, or underlined
and then two sentences of commentary. The commentary analyzes the effect
of and reasons for the point of view. This unit of writing – one example
sentence and two commentary – is called a chunk. You need at least two
chunks in a point of view paragraph.
In your example sentence, you need to include two or three quotations that
illustrate the point of view. Here is an example:
At the beginning of the story, the man says,
“I stopped short”; he wants to let the snake
escape because he “never killed an animal”
he did not have to.
This quotation sentence integrates two separate short quotes taken from
different parts of the passage. This shows your reader that you have
understood the entire piece and you are choosing quotations thoughtfully.
Now look over the words or phrases you marked on your own copy of
“The Rattler” and practice writing a quotation sentence of your own for
point of view. Remember to use two or three different short quotes.
The next step is to write commentary (analysis or interpretation) for the
quotes you included in your example sentence. This should discuss the
reason for the point of view and the effect on the reader. Before you start,
you need to know about the kind of commentary that often appears in a point
of view paragraph. Here are some typical commentary phrases for point of
view analysis:
A. First person: The reader can feel the same emotions as narrator, a
sense of immediacy; the reader reacts in unison with the narrator.
B. Third-person limited: The reader feels a sense of distance from others,
and, in addition, is limited to one perspective; the narrower view of
subject may be biased in only one direction; the narrative distance may
be useful, done on purpose by the author.
C. Third-person omniscient: The reader feels more distant than with first
person but also has a wider, more panoramic view of the subject; the
reader knows everything that an outside observer could know.
You will not be doing your own commentary in this exercise, but we are
including a sample to show you how it works. The following chart shows you
how to write your quotes and the commentary thoughts for point of view:
TOPIC SENTENCE FOR POINT OF VIEW PARAGRAPH:
The first-person point of view reinforces the drama and
tension in the scene.
QUOTATION
COMMENTARY
• “I stopped short”
• Caught off guard
• Sudden shock at the
unexpected
• “never killed and animal
[he] didn’t have to”
• Both man and reader feel
reluctant to act
You will not be doing your own version of the point of view paragraph for
“The Rattler.” You will have another passage for practice later. On the next
slide is a sample of the point of view paragraph for “The Rattler.”
1) The first-person point of view reinforces the drama and tension
in the scene. 2) At the beginning of the story, the man says, “I stopped short”;
he wants to let the snake escape because he “never killed an animal” he did
not have to. 3) The reader and the man feel a sudden shock at the presence
of another living creature in the isolated desert. 4) Both freeze, suggesting the
man’s understandable and immediate reluctance to attack it and recognizing
his desire to ignore the snake. 5) The man’s duty is clear, however, and after
he “[reaches] in the bush” to kill ;the snake, “he does not cut the rattles off”;
he thinks for a moment that he “could see him as [he] might have let him go.”
6) The reader shudders at the feeling of the how striking home but at the same
time feels the narrator’s appreciation and moment of silence at the end. 7) This
reinforcement of first-person narration shows the last farewell to the snake, a
final moment of respect. 8) The narrator bids goodbye and acknowledges the
tragic end to a dual between equals.
Sentence #1 – Topic – (has point of view in the sentence)
CHUNK
Sentence #2 – CD – quotation sentence – (has 2-3 point of view quotes)
Sentences #3-4 – CM – commentary sentences – (discusses reason for the
point of view and the effect on the reader)
Sentences #5-6 – 1CD+2CM – another CHUNK
Sentence #8 – paragraph conclusion – (ties the paragraph together)
Now you will write an introductory paragraph and then a point of view
paragraph for the passage from Gustave Flaubert’s MADAME BOVARY.
First make a chart for the two different but complementary tones, using the
tone/attitude chart shown below.
1st tone
2nd tone
Now write a thesis for the passage, and then one or two more sentences of
commentary to flesh out the introduction.
The (#1) _________________________ and
(#2) ____________________tones in the
MADAME BOVARY passage reflect/show
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Now, underline, circle, or highlight the point of view phrases in the passage.
Create a point of view chart like the example for “The Rattler.”
Discuss.
Do the first half of the paragraph – a topic sentence, one example that
integrates two to three quotations and two commentary sentences (chunk).
Discuss.
Now do the second half of the paragraph – another chunk.
Discuss.
Now write a concluding sentence that gives a finished feeing to the paragraph.
Finally, for homework, practice the introductory paragraph and point of view
paragraph using “The Prison Door” chapter at the beginning of
THE SCARLETT LETTER.