POINT OF VIEW

WHAT WORD DO
YOU SEE?
 OPTICAL ILLUSION
Do you see two old people or two young people?
Do you see a third young person? Do you see a guitar?
What do you see in the middle of the picture?
OPTICAL
ILLUSION
Do you see a
young woman in
the picture or an
old woman?
Do you see the
young woman’s
ear?
Do you see the old
woman’s nose?
DOES IT LOOK DIFFERENT TO YOU
IN BLACK AND WHITE?
How many umpires are on the
field? Why not only use one?
POINT OF VIEW

Who is telling the story?

 NARRATOR
• The narrator is the “voice” that tells the
story.

• The “voice” may be a character in the story.

• The “voice” may be an observer who tells

the reader what he sees and hears.
 POINT OF VIEW

• This is the narrator through whose eyes

the reader “sees” the story happen.
• The narrator “controls” all of the
information that the reader is told.
 FIRST
PERSON NARRATOR
• “I never had a brain until Freak came along and
let me borrow his for a while, and that’s the truth,
the whole truth.” (page 1) Max in Freak the
Mighty
• “If my cousin Duffy had the brains of a
turnip it never would have happened. But as
far as I’m concerned, Duffy makes a turnip
look bright.” Andrew in “Duffy’s Jacket
 FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW
• The narrator of the story is also ONE of the characters
in the story.

• This point of view uses the following pronouns: I, me,

my, mine, we, us, our.

• The reader only knows what the ONE character

knows. (disadvantage)

• The reader feels very connected to the story.

(advantage)
 Examples of stories for first
person point of view
“Priscilla and the Wimps” (student)

“Duffy’s Jacket” (Duffy’s cousin Andrew)

“User Friendly” (Kevin Neal)

“Charles” (Laurie’s mother)

 MULTIPLE
FIRST PERSON
NARRATORS

The reader or
movie viewer
sees the story
from the point
of view of
MORE THAN
ONE
CHARACTER.
 Books with
Multiple First Person
Narrators
 THIRD PERSON
• The narrator is NOT a character in the story.

• The narrator is an observer who tells the reader

about someone else.

• The narrator uses the third person pronouns. (he,

she, him, her, they, them, their)
 THIRD PERSON
LIMITED
• The narrator tells the reader the thoughts and
feelings of ONE character in the story.

• “The enemy on the opposite roof covered his escape.

He must kill that enemy and he could not use his
rifle. He had only a revolver to do it. Then he
thought of a plan.”

• (“The Sniper” by Liam O’ Flaherty)

 THIRD PERSON
OMNISCIENT
• The word “omniscient” means all-knowing.
• In these stories, the narrator knows the
thoughts and feelings of many characters in
the story.
• “Amigo Brothers” is an example of an
“omniscient” narrator.
• We know the feelings of both Antonio and
Felix.
 Short Stories with a
Third Person Point of View
• “Amigo • “After Twenty
Brothers” Years”
• “Antonio Cruz and • “The policeman on the
Felix Vargas were beat moved up the
both seventeen years avenue impressively.”
old. They had known • “The man in the
each other since doorway struck a
childhood. . . .” match and lit his
cigar.”
 The author has TWO
choices for point of view.
• FIRST PERSON • THIRD PERSON
POINT OF VIEW POINT OF VIEW

• The narrator is a • The narrator is NOT

character in the story. part of the story.

• The reader only knows • The narrator is an

what the narrator observer who tells us
knows. about the characters and
the events.
 Why might an author choose a
specific point of view?
This novel uses first This novel uses third person
person point of view. point of view.
 IS THERE A
SECOND PERSON
POINT OF VIEW?

•In non-fiction, it
would be a “HOW
TO” book.
•This tells the reader
“HOW TO” do
something.
•In fiction, it would be
a “Choose Your Own
Adventure” story.
WHAT DO
YOU SEE?
Is this a
musician or a
girl’s face?

It all depends
on your
POINT OF
VIEW.
WHAT DO
YOU SEE?

Do you see a
duck or do you
see a bunny?
It all depends
on your

POINT OF
VIEW.
WHAT DO
YOU SEE?
Do you see a
mountain
stream?
OR
Do you see
many people
and buildings
with windows?
?
SAY THE COLOR,
NOT THE WORD
POINT OF VIEW
WHO IS TELLING
THE STORY?