Point of View
Otherwise known as Narrative Perspective or the
perspective in which the narrator tells the story.
http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/11686.aspx#ixzz1bHQtjm7e
Pronoun Case
We are trying to figure out the narrator's view
point on the story.
Perspectives and Signal Words
First-Person
I, me, my, mine, we, us,
ours,
Second-Person you, your
Third-Person
he, she, her, they, them
(also character's names)
Secret
“I am in the room”
I = 1st Person
“You come in the room.”
You = 2nd Person
“Then he or she came in the room.”
He or She = 3rd Person
First-Person
Narrator is a part of the story (character).
Often uses I or we.
Example
I went home. Tim came over. I couldn't play.
Third-Person Omniscient
Narrator is all knowing.
Narrator tells thoughts and feelings of more than
one character.
Omni = All
Scient = Knowing
Example
Tim was mad at Shay. He blamed her. Shay
knew Tim would be mad, but she wanted to
live her life.
Third-Person Limited
Narrator is limited to one character.
Tells thoughts & feelings of one character
Example
Tim was mad at Shay. He blamed her. Shay
just left without saying anything. She left a
note and then left him.
Tips on Identifying
• Check 1st or 2nd-person before worrying about
objective, limited, or omniscient.
• Ask, “Who’s story is the narrator telling: his,
mine, or someone else’s?”
• Focus on narration not dialogue.
Practice
Name that Perspective
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Leslie sat in front of Paul. She had two long, brown
pigtails that reached all the way down to her waist. Paul saw
those pigtails, and a terrible urge came over him. He wanted
to pull a pigtail. He wanted to wrap his fist around it, feel
the hair between his fingers, and just yank. He thought it
would be fun to tie the pigtails together, or better yet, tie
them to her chair. But most of all, he just wanted to pull
one.
What is the Narrative Perspective?
Third-person Limited
If it is third-person, which
character’s thoughts are revealed?
Paul’s Thoughts
Name that Perspective
The Baffled Parent's Guide to Great Basketball Drills by
Jim Garland
Before each practice begins, make sure you check the
court and remove any debris from the playing surface.
When your players arrive, check that they have the proper
footwear and that they’ve removed any jewelry, which could
injure the player wearing the jewelry or another player.
Always carry a list of emergency phone numbers for your
players, and know where the nearest phone is located. You
should also have a first-aid kit, and you might want to take a
first-aid course.
What is the Narrative Perspective?
Second Person
If it is third-person, which
character’s thoughts are revealed?
None
Name that Perspective
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The day Shiloh come, we’re having us a big Sunday
dinner. Dara Lynn’s dipping bread in her glass of cold tea,
the way she likes, and Becky pushes her beans over the edge
of her plate in her rush to get ’em down. Ma gives us her
scolding look. We live high up in the hills above Friendly,
but hardly anybody knows where that is. Friendly’s near
Sistersville, which is halfway between Wheeling and
Parkersburg. Used to be, my daddy told me, Sistersville was
once of the best places you could live in the whole state.
What is the Narrative Perspective?
First Person
If it is third-person, which
character’s thoughts are revealed?
Only the Narrator’s
Discussion
Why is one point of view sometimes more effective
than the other?
Are there any weaknesses to using the different
perspectives?
Assessment
This counts as a quiz grade!!!
Take out a sheet of paper (maybe two).
Step 1. Write a paragraph (5 sentence minimum) from
the POV of a TV remote (1st Person). Read it over to
make sure it’s free of errors.
You have 5 minutes
Assessment
Step 2. Rewrite it once again from 3rd person Limited
(the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of
the remote. Read it over to make sure it’s free of
errors.
You have 5 minutes.
Assessment
Step 3. Re-write the story from 3rd Person Omniscient
(The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of the
remote and other characters involved). Read it over to
make sure it’s free of errors.
You have 5 minutes.
Assessment
Step 4. Trade with a neighbor. Read the three
paragraphs silently to yourself. Circle the paragraph
you think was the best perspective for their story.
Based on what you now know about Point of View,
explain why you think this perspective works best.
Assessment
Check your paper for errors.
Turn it in to me.