Point of ViewObjective: I can identify the narrative point of

view as first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient.

Created by Chris Garrison

5th grade Sycamore

Essential Questions

•What is narrative point of view? How is it determined?

•What is first person? How are key words used to identify the point of view?

•What is third person limited? How is it different than third person omniscient?

•What is third person omniscient? How is it different than third person limited?

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Remember...

Point of View - is the angle from which a story is told. It is the relationship of the storyteller to the characters and events.

First Person Point of View

The narrator is a character within the story. Because the narrator is a character within the story, we see the pronouns, I and me often. Throughout the story, the narrator shares his or her feelings and emotions.

Example of First Person

From The Report Card by Andrew Clements

My room was “a mess.” I was supposed to “get it all straightened up” before dinner. “Or else.” Mom’s orders.

But I wasn’t in the mood to clean. Or scared enough. So I just lay there on my bed, thinking. Which wasn’t unusual. And the thought came to me very clearly that a messy room was the least of my problems. That was a fact.

(Remember to look for the key words)

Third Person Limited Point of

ViewThe narrator is NOT a character within the story, rather it is someone from outside the story. Since the narrator is outside the story, the only time we will see “I, me, or my” and other first person pronouns are when a character is speaking. This narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of only ONE character.

Words to pay attention to: thought, wondered, remembered, felt, hoped, saw, noticed, realized, heard, or smelled.

Example of Third Person Limited

From Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane, a Cessna 406, a bushplane, and the engine was so loud, so roaring and consuming and loud, that it ruined any chance for conservation. Not that he had much to say.

(Remember to look for the key words)

Third Person Omniscient Point of

ViewThe narrator is NOT a character within the story, rather it’s someone from outside the story. Since the narrator is outside the story, the only time we will see “I, me, or my” and other first person pronouns are when a character is speaking. This narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of MORE THAN ONE character.

(The all-knowing narrator.)

Hint: Do you know what more than one character’s thoughts or feelings?

Example of Third Person Omniscient

From- Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz

He stood up. The guard was in his twenties, pale faced and puzzled. Alex had never seen him before, but more importantly, he had never seen Alex. He hadn’t expected to come across a boy. That might help.

“Who are you?” he asked “What are you doing here?”

“I’m staying with Mr. Sayle,” Alex said.

(Remember ask yourself...Do you know the thoughts or feelings of more than one

character?)

Let’s try some...Have your slates out and ready in 5...4...3...

James put all his energy into the kick. Then he watched in horror as the soccer ball sailed over the net, while his shoe landed perfectly in the center of the goal. His ears filled with the awful sounds of laughter and taunting, James had never been so embarrassed.

Third Person Limited

It’s your turn!

Kelly and Michael were completely covered in mud when they began walking home. Kelly was scared. The deep red clay had sucked her off her left shoe and swallowed it. Michael’s new shirt was ruined. He knew their mother would be furious. She must have told them a million times not to play in the creek.

Third Person Omniscient

Try Again...Gramps says that I am a country girl at heart and that is true. I have lived most of my thirteen years in Bybanks, Kentucky, which is not much more than a caboodle of houses roosting in a green spot along the Ohio River. Just over a year ago, my father plucked me up like a weed and took me and all of our belongings (no, that is not true-he did not bring the chestnut tree, the willow, the maple, the hayloft, or the swimming hole, all of which belonged to me) and we drove three hundred miles straight north and stopped in front of a house in Euclid, Ohio.

First Person

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Let’s try to figure out who the narrator

is!The first time we noticed that there was something swimming around the old pier, we couldn’t believe our eyes. It moved to and fro, slowly, ominously, as if it were hungry. None of us wanted to go in the water. Finally the group decided that Tom would have to be the one to swim for safety. We watched as he dove in, and started swimming as fast as he could. We thought he was safe at first, but then “it” started pursuing him, slowly at first, then faster. We could only watch helplessly at what happened next.

Hint: Think about the point of view and who is telling the story.

This story is told in Third Person by Tom’s friend.

One More..Do you have any idea how hard it is to play the guitar? There are six strings, and each one of them has to be tuned to a different note. Next you have to be able to hold all of the strings down at the same time to make a chord. After doing that for a few minutes your fingers get so sore that you can barely push down on the strings. A lot of parents won’t even buy you a guitar until you can really play. I didn’t get one until I’d been playing for six months. Don’t even think about getting an expensive one until you have mastered the basics.

This story is told in First Person by kiddo who plays a guitar.

Closure

List the three points of view we have discussed today, including key words or hints that you will use to remember how they are

different.