Mr. Pettine ENGLISH 9 6 October 2015
-- An author writes a story. -- A narrator is the voice telling the story. -- A credible narrator is one that can be trusted. -- An unreliable narrator is one that cannot be trusted. POINT OF VIEW
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 characters, events, and places in a story depends on the narrator s point of view.
The three most common points of view are: POINT OF VIEW Third person Omniscient Third person limited First person
POINT OF VIEW In the third person omniscient point of view, the narrator plays no part in the story but can tell what ALL characters think and feel. They can accurately look into any character at any time and give objective records of their thoughts and motivations. They can give an overarching meaning to the world of the text.
POINT OF VIEW 3 rd Person omniscient EXAMPLE: John laughed hollowly. You re joking, he said, wondering how on earth he would ever get over this. Veronica shook her head slowly. Her heart was breaking at having to tell him this news. John stood up and banged his fist against the wall, hard, once, but that did nothing to disperse the fury coursing through him. He still couldn t believe it. I ll have to leave now, he said, thinking that he couldn t bear to stay there another moment. Veronica nodded slowly. He was upset now, but she knew he'd get over it.
3 rd 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
3 rd Person Limited EXAMPLE He saw her start up the hill, and he moved quickly behind the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined, but if he could stay hidden until she came within range--well, then she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she?
1 st Person POV 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 thinking, feeling and observing may or may not be objective, honest or clued into what s going on in the story
1 st PERSON POV As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.
WHY IS POINT OF VIEW IMPORTANT? The narrator s point of view determines what and how much you learn about the story s characters, events, and places. It s 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? Can I trust this narrator? How would this story be different if told by someone else?
FAMOUS EXAMPLES OF POINT OF VIEW The Harry Potter series is written in third person limited point of view. The Twilight series, for the most part, is written in first person point of view. To Kill a Mockingbird is written in first person point of view (Scout is narrator) Tolkien and Charles Dickens write in 3 rd person omniscient.
TONE Tone is the writer s attitude towards a subject or character. Ex: She looked disgusting, standing there in her Prada boots and Cartier diamonds.
VOICE Voice is a writer s distinct use of language and style. Edgar Allan Poe s writing always uses harder vocabulary and dark style. Voice is best understood from reading experience. Think of an author you ve read a lot. What voice does that author have?
TONE EXAMPLES It was a dark and stormy night. It was a bright sunny day. Ellen sat her books down by the grimy bus stop steps. The decrepit bus was running late again. It would be hot, with a whirling fan that circulated the stifling air and whatever odor was present. THEY MURDERED HIM. As he turned to take the ball, a dam burst against the side of his head and a hand grenade shattered his stomach. Engulfed by nausea, he pitched toward the grass. His mouth encountered gravel, and he spat frantically, afraid that some of his teeth had been knocked out. Rising to his feet, he saw the field through drifting gauze but held on until everything settled into place, like a lens focusing, making the world sharp again, with edges.
SETTING
Time Place Environment Social Circumstances Setting
Environment: SETTING Is a character s immediate surroundings It could be nature-like, but it doesn t have to be. From Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, her immediate surroundings are the Longleaf pine and the junkyard.
Social Circumstances Societal norms Socioeconomic status SETTING From Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, her social circumstances are that the family is poor. But they also see value in things others throw away.
Setting: Setting Sets the tone Shows character Can be a part of the conflict May simply be background
Setting Characters can learn from their settings. It may set up important plot points. It may provide some historical information
Setting It helps readers understand the foundation for the story. It gives the story deeper meaning. Think about Janisse Ray s statement from Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, Where I come from has made me who I am.
Journal Entry Write two versions of yesterday -- Write one in the first person point of view. Remember that this means all narration will use I, me, my. Write the second account using third person limited point of view. Here you can see inside your own head, but not those of others. Pronouns used should be, he / she / it.