Point of View

Point of View

• The vantage point from which a write tells a story

Three Points

• Third Person Omniscient
• All-knowing 
• Actions, thoughts
• Narrator is removed from the story.
• First Person
• The "I" character
• Tells and participates
• the reader can see, hear, and know what they think
• May not be reliable or honest
• Draws reader directly into story
• We don't get to know other characters well
• Third Person Limited
• Story is told by outside observer
• Views the action from only one character; "shadow"
• Third person pronouns; he, she, his, her;
• Only use "I" in dialogue

Determining a Story's Point of View

1. Select a portion of the story that is not dialogue.
2. Who is telling the story?
1. If the answer is a narrator, go to step 3
2. If the answer is an "I"
3. How much does that narrator know?
1. If they know everything about everyone, the POV is omniscient
2. If they only know one character's perspective, the POV is limited