Name: Date: Hour: Point of View [CCSS.ELA.9-10.RL.6] The point of view is the narrative perspective from which a story is told. When looking at the point of view, it all about the NARRATOR (who tell the story): Do not look at the. It does not matter what characters. Only the matters. #1. Types of Point of View (POV) Narrator is a part of the story (character). Uses pronouns I, me, or we. Used in both fiction and autobiographical writing (memoirs, letters). Advantages : The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. - The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe Disadvantages : #2. Addresses audience directly; usually used for instructions. Uses pronouns you and your. Used in business and technical writing. Advantages : First, gather your materials. Add 1 cup sugar to flour. Disadvantages : 1
Types of Point of View (POV) - continued #3. Narrator usually isn t involved in story. Uses pronouns he, she, her, they, them, and character's names. Advantages : Disadvantages : #3 A. TYPES OF THIRD-PERSON NARRATOR: Narrator is all knowing. Tells thoughts and feelings of more than one Harry had taken up his place at wizard character. school The Dursleys hadn t even remembered that today happened to be Harry s twelfth birthday. Of course, his hopes hadn t been high? - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling #3 B. Narrator is limited to ONE character. Tells thoughts and feelings of ONE character. [Rainsford s] whole idea at first was to put distance between himself and General Zaroff; and, to this end, he had plunged along, spurred on by the sharp rowers of something very like panic. - The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell #3 C. Narrator does not reveal any of the characters thoughts and feelings. Only characters dialogue and actions are described. Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin case, a superb diamond necklace; her heart began to beat covetously. Her hands trembled as she lifted it. - The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant TIPS for Identifying Check for 1st or 2nd-person first before worrying about 3rd-person objective, limited, or omniscient. Ask, Who s story is the narrator telling: his or hers, mine, or someone else s? 2
Focus on narration not dialogue. 3
Directions: Read the following passages. Determine the narrator s point of view. Write down your answer. 1. When I was four months old, my mother died suddenly and my father was left to look after me all by himself I had no brothers or sisters. So through boyhood, from the age of four months onward, there was just us two, my father and me. We lived in an old gypsy caravan behind a filling station. 2. The huge man dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool. The small man stepped behind him. "Lennie!" he said sharply. "Lennie, for God" sakes don t drink so much." Lennie continued to snort into the pool. The small man leaned over and shook him by the shoulder. "Lennie you gonna be sick like you was last night." Lennie dipped his whole head under, hat and all "Tha s good," he said. "You drink some, George." He smiled happily. 3. The previous night, make your plans for the next day and write them down If you attend an exclusive Samurai s party and feel timid, you cannot do your part in making it a successful party. You had first better prepare by convincing yourself that you will have a grand time. And you should feel grateful for the invitation. 4. Harold Davis took a deep breath and slowly started to peel the gauze from the wound on his grandmother s leg. Hold on, Grandma. I m almost done, He said quietly. Don t worry, baby. It doesn t hurt too much, she quietly replied. Just take your time. Harold glanced up at his grandmother lying on the couch. He could tell she was in pain from the way she gripped the cushions, but still she managed to smile back at him. 4
5. They were standing under a tree, each with an arm round the other's neck, and Alice knew which was which in a moment, because one of them had "DUM" embroidered on his collar, and the other "DEE." "I suppose they've each got "TWEEDLE" round at the back of the collar," she said to herself. They stood so still that she quite forgot they were alive, and she was just looking round to see if the word "TWEEDLE" was written at the back of each collar, when she was startled by a voice coming from the one marked "DUM." 6. First, wash your hands and gather all of your materials. Once you ve done that, follow all of the directions in your cookbook. Put the crispy treats in the oven and cook for 30-35. While your treats cook you might want to clean your work space. When you take the treats out of the oven, pour the honey and lemon sauce on immediately. Once treats are cooled, you and your friends can enjoy. 7. We lived on the main residential street in town Atticus, Jem and I, plus Calpurnia our cook. Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment Our mother died when I was two, so I never felt her absence. She was a Graham from Montgomery; Atticus met her when he was first elected to the state legislature (6). 8. Annabel, said Jimmy, give me that rose you are wearing, will you? Hardly believing that she had heard him right, she unpinned the flower from her dress and placed it in his hand. Jimmy Valentine put on his coat and walked outside the railing toward the front door. As he went he thought he heard a faraway voice that he once knew. 9. At eight-thirty the eggs were shriveled and the toast was like stone. An aluminum wedge scraped them into the sink, where hot water whirled them down a metal throat which digested 5
and flushed them away to the distant sea. The dirty dishes were dropped into a hot washer and emerged twinkling dry. 10. On the first day of school, Victor stood in line half and hour before he came to a wobbly card table. He was handed a packet of papers and a computer card on which he listed his one elective, French. He already spoke Spanish and English, but he thought some day he might travel to France, where it was cool; not like Fresno, where summer days reached 110 degrees in the shade. 6