LITERARY ELEMENTS Point of View. POINT OF VIEW AKA PERSPECTIVE First Person Second Person Third...
-
Upload
jordan-hoover -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
0
Transcript of LITERARY ELEMENTS Point of View. POINT OF VIEW AKA PERSPECTIVE First Person Second Person Third...
LITERARY ELEMENTS
Point of View
P O I N T O F V I E WA K A
P E R S P E C T I V E
First Person
Second Person
Third Person Objective
Third Person Limited
Third Person Omniscient
FIRST PERSON
A story written in the first person is told by an
"I," where "I" can be the main character, a less
important character witnessing events, or a
person retelling a story they were told by
someone else. This point of view is often effective
in giving a sense of closeness to the character. It
can be very easy to get the reader to identify or
sympathize with your main character when the
reader is seeing everything through that
character's eyes. (I, me, my, we, etc…)
I could picture it. I have to go to the
library and study with my so called
friend Susan. I know how it’s going to
be. She is going to sit there and be so
snotty while acts like she knows
everything. She may be better at math
than me, but she is certainly not a
better reader. I don’t even know why I
put up with her. The phone rang; it
was Susan. “When do you want to
meet me at the library?” her agitating
voice pierced through on the other end.
“In 30 minutes,” I replied.
FIRST PERSON EXAMPLES
As I walked up the hill, I
realized that the
atmosphere was just too
quiet. There was no sound
from the cardinal who was
nearly always singing from
the top of the maple tree. I
thought I saw a shadow
move high up on the slope,
but when I looked again it
was gone. Still, I
shuddered as I felt a silent
threat pass over me like a
cloud over the sun.
Second Person In second person, the narrator addresses the
protagonist as "you” and turns the reader into
the character. Often, this kind of story has the
narrator speaking to a younger version of their
self. This point of view is very rare because it is
extremely difficult to pull off. The reader may
feel that they are the one spoken to, and will find
it difficult to accept that they are doing the
things the narrator tells them they are doing.
Most instructions, like those in recipes, are
written in second person.
Second Person Examples
You could picture it. You
have to go to the library
and study with your so
called friend Susan. You
know how it’s going to be.
She is going to sit there
and be so snotty while acts
like she knows everything.
She may be better at math
than you, but she is
certainly not a better
reader. You don’t even
know why you put up with
her. The phone rang; it
was Susan. “When do you
want to meet me at the
library?” her agitating
voice pierced through on
the other end. “In 30
minutes,” you replied.
As you walk up the hill,
you realize that the
atmosphere's just too
quiet. There's no sound
from the cardinal you
know is almost always
singing from the top of
the maple tree. You think
you see a shadow move
high up on the slope, but
when you look again it's
gone. You shudder as you
feel a silent threat pass
over you. You feel cold,
like a cloud just passed
over the sun.
Third Person Objective Characters are referred to as "he" and "she" in
third person. In this case the narrator (who may
be indistinguishable from the author) is not a
character in the story. The narrator can only
relate to the reader what is seen or heard. A
good writer can tell a completely objective story
in such a way that the reader is able to
determine the feelings and sometimes even the
thoughts of the characters through what those
characters say and do, even though the thoughts
and feelings are never described.
Third Person Objective Examples
Carrie and Susan walked into
the city library together.
They took out their math text
and began to study. “Why is
the librarian staring at us?”
Carrie murmured. “I don’t
know,” Susan whispered,
“She probably thinks we are
going to start trouble.” “Why
is it so hard for adults to trust
us?” Carrie asked
disgustedly. “Maybe to her
one bad apple has spoiled the
bunch,” responded Susan.
They two studious young
ladies continued to work on
prime factorization while the
librarian watched carefully.
The girl walked up the quiet
hillside. In the top of the
maple tree, the cardinal
tipped his head back and
drew breath to sing. A dead
branch cracked on the
ground below the bird's
perch. The man stepped on
the branch and rattled the
blades of grass as he moved
behind the tree. He watched
the girl come up the hillside
toward him. Her gaze shifted
quickly and warily from one
shadowy area high on the
slope to another, and she
shuddered.
Third Person Limited The narrator is able to see into the mind of a
single character, usually the main protagonist.
Sometimes the point of view may zoom in so
close to that character that the narrator begins
to use that character's manner of speech and
thought, and sometimes the narrator may step
back to take a more objective view. This point of
view is sort of the "default" in fiction -- it is the
most common because it can be used the most
effectively in the majority of situations.
Third Person Limited Examples
Carrie went to the
library to meet her
friend Susan. She did
not like Susan very
much, although she was
a great person to study
with. They took out
their math texts and
prepared to complete
Miss Shipley’s study
guide. Carrie knew her
parents would be
disappointed if she
failed another test.
As she walked up the hill,
she realized that the
atmosphere was just too
quiet. There was no sound
from the cardinal who she
so often heard singing from
the top of the maple tree.
She thought she saw a
shadow move high up on
the slope, but when she
looked again it was gone.
Nevertheless, she
shuddered as she felt a
silent threat pass over her.
It felt like a cloud creeping
over the sun.
Third Person Omniscient
The narrator knows everything about all main
characters; all thoughts, feelings, and actions
may be related to the reader (or they may be
withheld). There are no secrets in third person
omniscient. The reader can feel like they can
gain insight into all of the main characters.
Usually, but not always, flat or minor characters
are not revealed because it can become too
confusing to the reader to reveal all characters.
Third Person Omniscient Examples
Carrie went to the library
to meet her friend Susan.
Carrie did not like Susan
very much; She found her
annoying. The funny thing
was Susan did not like
Carrie either; she found
her arrogant. They both
knew that they studied well
together, and so they did.
“What are the factors of
17?” Carrie asked. Susan,
in her usual annoying
voice, responded, “17 is a
prime number. It doesn’t
have any factors.
Everybody knows that.”
‘That is why nobody likes
you,’ Carrie thought to
herself.
As the girl walked up the hill, she
realized that the atmosphere was just
too quiet. The cardinal tipped his
head back and drew breath to sing,
but just as the first note passed his
beak he heard the crack of a dead
branch far below his perch high in the
maple tree. Startled, he looked down,
cocking his head to one side and
watching with great interest while the
man rattled the blades of grass as he
tried to hide himself behind the tree.
As the man saw her start up the hill,
he moved quickly into the shelter of
the huge old maple tree. If she saw
him now, everything would be ruined.
She thought she saw a shadow move
high up on the slope, but when she
looked again it was gone. The man
thought if he could stay hidden until
she came within range, she'd have to
talk to him. Wouldn't she? The girl
shuddered as she felt a silent threat
pass over her. It felt like a cloud
creeping over the sun.
The End