Point of View

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Point of View

• The Storys Voice

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What Is Point of View?

• Point of view is the vantage point from which a
  writer tells a story.
• A writer tells a story through the voice of a
  narrator. A narrator may be an outside observer
  or a character in the story.
• Everything you learn about the characters,
  events, and places in a story depends on the
  narrators point of view.

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Points of View

• The three most common points of view are
• omniscient
• third-person limited
• first person

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Omniscient Point of View

• In the omniscient point of view, the narrator
  plays no part in the story but can tell us what
  all the characters are thinking and feeling as
  well as what is happening in other places.
• The omniscient narrator
• can tell us as much or as little as the writer
  permits
• may tell us what allor only someof the
  characters are thinking, feeling, and observing
• may comment on the storys meaning, characters,
  or events

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Omniscient Point of View

• Just outside the auditorium entrance, students
  milled about nervously and waited to be called in
  for the audition. A few had paired off to
  practice their lines together, but most stood or
  sat alone engaged in their own calming rituals.
  Ruth stood in the corner and talked to the wall
  in a low voice. She would be graduating this
  year, and she desperately wanted to be Juliet.
  She was trying to get just the right tone of
  voice for the balcony scene. Gary, dressed in all
  black, paced back and forth in front of the
  mirror- lined wall and periodically glanced at
  his reflection and smoothed his dark hair. He was
  auditioning for Mercutio, but he was worried that
  Mr. Glover would think he was too much of a
  comedic actor to give him a more serious role.
  Janis sat with her back against the row of
  lockers, her knees tucked up close to her body,
  and stared at the floor as she recited the lines
  in her head. She didnt really care what part she
  got as long as she had a speaking role. She had
  been an extra in the last two productions and was
  ready for more responsibility.

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Third-Person-Limited Point of View

• In the third-person-limited point of view, the
  narrator plays no part in the story but zooms in
  on the thoughts and feelings of one character.
• The third-person narrator
• views the actions from the vantage point of a
  single character
• can tell us only what that single character is
  thinking, feeling, and observing

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Third-Person-Limited Point of View

• Gary paced back and forth in front of the
  mirror-lined wall. He glanced toward Ruth and
  smiled. She looked so odd standing in the corner
  talking to the wall. He admired the way she could
  totally immerse herself in a character and ignore
  the outside world. He was too aware of what other
  people thought of him. He sometimes played the
  clown, but only when he knew that he could get a
  laugh. Mr. Glover said he tried too hard to
  entertain people. Maybe that was why Mr. Glover
  always cast him in a comic role.
• This time, though, he wanted a chance to try his
  hand at more serious acting. Mercutios character
  seemed the perfect role for himsometimes foolish
  and other times brooding and angry.

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First-Person Point of View

• In the first-person point of view, the narrator
  is a character in the story and tells the story
  using the first-person pronoun I.
• The first-person narrator
• participates in the action of the story
• can tell us only what he or she is feeling,
  thinking, or observing
• may or may not be objective, honest, or
  perceptive about whats going in the story

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First-Person Point of View

• I stared at the wall and tried to remember what
  it felt like to be fourteen and have a major
  crush on a guy. Ive never felt love as intensely
  as Juliet. Personally, I always thought that
  Juliets character was a bit too impulsive and
  naïve. But, who was I to quibble with
  Shakespeare? I was willing to set aside my
  personal opinions for a chance to play one of the
  most famous female characters in drama. What
  better way to end my high school drama career
  than to play the role of Juliet.
• Before I could get the role, though, I would
  have to impress Mr. Glover. I closed my eyes and
  pictured myself standing on the balcony as
  Juliet My heart is heavy because my love is my
  sworn enemy, and Ill probably never get the
  chance to see him again. My voice is sad and full
  of longing. O, Romeo

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Why Is Point of View Important?

• The narrators point of view determines what and
  how much you learn about the storys characters,
  events, and places.
• Its important to evaluate the credibility and
  knowledge of the narrator. Ask yourself
• How much does this narrator know and understand?
• How much does this narrator want me to know?
• How would this story be different if someone else
  were telling it?
• Can I trust this narrator?

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What Have You Learned?
Match these terms with the correct definition.
Omniscient Third-person limited First person
_________________ The narrator is a character in
the story and tells what he or she
experiences. _________________ The narrator is
an observer and knows everything about all the
characters. _________________ The narrator is an
observer and describes the thoughts and feelings
of just one character.
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The End