POINT OF VIEW

WHAT IS POINT OF VIEW? The position in how the story is being

told.

Who tells the story and how the story is told is important. The story can even change depending on how it is told.

THINK ABOUT THIS.. Imagine you witness a car crash. There are the people in the cars, the

witnesses, the first responders (Police, Firemen, EMT),and the wrecker drivers. How many different stories do you think there will be of what happened?

It is important to consider which point of view is being used to tell the story.

FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW One character tells the story. This

character only reveals personal thoughts and feelings of what they see. The writer uses pronouns such as I, me, mine, or my.

Example: I woke up this morning in a bad mood. My alarm clock didn’t go off, my jeans were not dry, and my gym clothes got left in my backpack. How can I get through this day?

SECOND PERSON POINT OF VIEW The narrator tells the story using the

pronoun “YOU”. The character is someone similar to you.

Ex: You know today is going to be the best day of your life. Why? You did your homework, you made your bus, you got a date to the dance, and you rescued a kitten from a tree. You are awesome!

You do not see second person p.o.v. often in literature.

THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW Most commonly used in fiction. The narrator talks about the characters

using pronouns such as he, she, or it.

Ex: Nate walked hesitantly through the back door. He knew that something was wrong when he saw the kitchen light on. No one was supposed to be home, who is here? He grabbed his flashlight and decided to grab fear by the horns and check it out.