English 9 / Unit 2: Characterization and Point of View
2.4 Point of View
Notes
Point of view (POV) is the perspective from which a story is told.
- First person: narrator is a character, uses "I" and "we." We know only their thoughts.
- Second person: addresses the reader as "you." Rare in fiction.
- Third person limited: outside narrator ("he," "she," "they") who knows one character's thoughts.
- Third person omniscient: outside narrator who knows all characters' thoughts.
- Third person objective: reports only actions and words, no thoughts, like a camera.
- Example: "Mei wondered if Jun was angry. Jun, meanwhile, was only hungry." This is omniscient (two characters' thoughts).
Practice
"I grabbed my backpack and ran for the bus, wishing I had set an alarm." The point of view is:
The narrator is a character using "I."
"Carlos feared the test. Across the room, Dana felt confident, and the teacher secretly hoped everyone would pass." The point of view is:
The narrator reveals the thoughts of several characters.
"The man set down the letter. He walked to the window and stood there for an hour." No thoughts are revealed anywhere in the story. The point of view is:
The narrator reports only observable actions.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 2 test.