Point of view Special Types Clues Example Effects First person observer narrator/ Uses “I” and “me” detached autobiography Doesn’t show strong emotions Narrator is often a bystander or a minor character At the first lighted roadside restaurant I pulled in and took my seat at a counter. The customers were folded over their coffee cups like ferns. Early­rising men not only do not talk much to strangers, they barely talk to one another. ● Narrator seems trustworthy. ● Reader doesn’t connect strongly with narrator. First person with internal monologue Uses “I” and “me” Shows strong emotions Deeply involved in story Justifies their actions and tries to convince the reader of their views or values The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. ● Reader relates closely to narrator. ● Reader understands the emotions, motivation, and concerns of the main character. ● Narrator may or may not be trustworthy. Third person removed “He” and “she” Narrator is like a fly on the wall, not adding any opinions Hannah, who had carried wood, made a fire, and stopped up the broken panes with old hats and her own cloak. Mrs. March ● Reader does not relate closely to any character. ● Reader learns about characters from their gave the mother tea and gruel, and comforted her with promises of help, while she dressed the little baby as tenderly as if it had been her own. actions and dialogue, not their thoughts. Third person limited omniscient “He” and “she” Narrator reveals the thoughts of the main character Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but eagerness in his heart. And while the other boy worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned how to trick his next victims. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every little while; they came to tease, but remained to whitewash. ● Reader connects strongly with main character and trusts his/her version of events more. ● Reader learns about main character from actions, dialogue, AND internal thoughts. Third person omniscient “He” and “she” Reveals the perspective and thoughts of many characters, sometimes with conflicting opinions The lord was always looking
for beautiful things to add to his house and garden. When he saw the duck swimming gracefully, he determined to capture it. The lord’s chief steward, Shozo, tried to discourage him. He secretly despised the lord and was jealous of him. ● Reader learns about several character from actions, dialogue, AND internal thoughts. ● Reader chooses which character to trust more.