What is Point of View?

Point of view is the perspective from which a story is told.

5 different kinds of POV

• 1st person• 2nd person• 3rd person Limited• 3rd person Omniscient• 3rd person Objective

1st person point of view

• Narrator is a character in the story

• First person pronouns such as I, me, my and mine are used in telling the story

• Since the narrator is a character in the story, he or she may not be completely reliable.

• We find out only what this character knows, thinks, or witnesses.

Example from “A Crush”

I wonder who’s been leaving flowers at the door of the hardware store every Wednesday. I wish I could find out if they’re for me or for Stan.

2nd person point of view

• The author is speaking directly to the reader.• Involves the reader in being part of the story

or activity• 2nd person pronouns are used: you, your• Rarely used

Example from “Camping Out” by Ernest Hemingway

• … in a succession of one-night camps on a canoe trip all you need is level ground for your tent floor and you will sleep all right if you have plenty of covers under you. Take twice as much cover as you think that you will need, and then put two-thirds of it under you. You will sleep warm and get your rest.

3rd Person Point of View

• Most common type of narration.• Narrator is not a character in the story.• Third person pronouns such as he, his, she,

hers, it, its, they and them are used to tell the story.

3rd person limited point of view

• The narrator tells the story from the perspective of one character

• The reader finds out only what this one character does, knows, thinks, or witnesses

Example from “A Crush”

• Ernie liked to watch Doris from the restaurant across the street , and he hoped that Jack didn’t mind getting up so early to drive him there.

3rd person omniscient point of view

• Narrator is all knowing and not only knows what all the characters are thinking and feeling, but can also report on everything that is said and done.

• We find out what all the characters do, feel, think and see.

Example from “A Crush”

• Ernie felt scared to go out in public, but Jack decided that going to a restaurant early in the morning might be helpful.

3rd person objective point of view

• The narrator is an observer only and can only tell what is said and done, not what anyone thinks or feels.

Example from “A Crush”

• Every Wednesday there were fresh flowers at the hardware story, but both Stan and Dolores claim they don’t know who sends the flowers.

Your turn!

• Identify different kinds of point of view from the short story “A Retrieved Reformation”

Which point of view?

• Say , Billy, I’ve quit the old business – a year ago. I’ve got a nice store. I’m making an honest living, and I’m going to marry the finest girl on the earth two weeks from now.

First person!

• I’ve• I’ve• I’m• I’m

Identify the point of view

• Ben Price investigated the scenes of the robberies, and immediately knew that jimmy was the author. Ben knew how Jimmy worked. The clerk of the Planter’s Hotel was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy. Annabel loved Jimmy, and her father approved of him.

Third person omniscient!

• What clues helped you figure this out?• Ben Price investigated … knew that jimmy was

the author. Ben knew how Jimmy worked. The clerk …was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy. Annabel loved Jimmy, and her father approved of him.

Which point of view?

• A guard came to the prison shoe shop and escorted Jimmy to the front office. There the warden handed him his pardon, and Jimmy left prison the next day at quarter past seven. He was wearing cheap clothes and shoes.

Third person objective!

You try it…

• Write a sentence of each type of view• Work with your elbow partner to write about

an even that happened to you, or that you witnessed this past week.

• Tell about the same even from the different points of view –1st, 2nd, 3rd limited, 3rd objective, and 3rd omniscient