Use this PowerPoint to complete your POV Chart.

1. Narrative Perspective
Author’s Point of View

2. What is point of view?
Point of view is the perspective from
which a story is told. The same information
or story can be shared in different ways.

3. Dialogue and Narration
• Dialogue = when characters speak.
• Narration = when the narrator speaks.
• “Quotation marks” separate narration
from dialogue.
Example
“Help” my cousin Jack said.
1 2

4. Identifying Narrative Perspective
It's about the narrator (who tells the story)
We're not looking at dialogue.
We don't care what characters say.
Only the narrator's voice matters.

5. Pronoun Case
First-Person I, me, my, mine, we, us,
our, ours
Second-Person you, your, yours
Third-Person he, she, her, hers, his,
him, it, they, them, their
We are trying to figure out the narrator's
view point on the story.
Perspectives and Pronouns

6. First-Person
The story is told by a character in the
story. He or she is the main character.
The reader knows the thoughts and
feelings of this character.
Often uses I or we.
Example
We went home. Tim came over. I couldn't
play.

7. Second-Person
The narrator talks directly to YOU!
Uses “You”; from “your” perspective.
Examples
First, gather your materials. Then, you add 1
cup of sugar.

8. Third-Person
• Narrator usually isn’t involved.
• Tells other's stories.
• Lots of “He,” “She,” & character names.
Three Types of Third-Person Narration
Does the narrator tell…
Thoughts and Feelings of Characters?

9. Third-Person Limited
Narrator is limited to one character.
Tells thoughts & feelings of one character
Example
Tim was mad at Shay. He blamed her.
Shay just left without saying anything.
She left a note and then left him.

10. Third-Person Omniscient
Narrator is all knowing.
Narrator tells thoughts and feelings of ALL
(or nearly all) characters.
Omni = All Scient = Knowing
Example
Tim was mad at Shay. He blamed her.
Shay knew Tim would be mad, but she
wanted to live her life.

11. Third-Person Objective
Narrator does not reveal any character’s
thoughts or feelings.
Only character’s dialogue and actions
are narrated.
Example
Tim slammed the door. He walked
upstairs and read a note from Shay. He
kicked her trash can and started crying.

12. Tips on Identifying
• Check 1st or 2nd-person before worrying
about objective, limited, or omniscient.
• Ask, “Who’s story is the narrator telling:
his, mine, or someone else’s?”
• Focus on narration not dialogue.

13. Practice
1. Read the following passages.
2. Determine the narrator’s perspective.
3. Also think about what you know about
the character’s thoughts and feelings.
1. Have your answers before you click to
the next slide.

14. 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.
POV? 1st
, 2nd
, or 3rd
limited, omniscient, OR objective
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?

15. 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.
POV? 1st
Person
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
We know the main character’s feelings.
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?
We don’t know the father’s feelings.

16. 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.
POV? 1st
, 2nd
, or 3rd
limited, omniscient, OR objective
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?

17. 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.
POV? 3rd
person point of view objective
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
Based on just the narration, we don’t know ANYONE’s feelings
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?
We don’t know Lennie’s or George’s feelings or thoughts.

18. 3
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.
POV? 1st
, 2nd
, or 3rd
limited, omniscient, OR objective
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?

19. 3
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.
POV? 2nd
Person Point of View
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
We know your feelings.
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?
There isn’t anyone else mentioned.

20. 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.
POV? 1st
, 2nd
, or 3rd
limited, omniscient, OR objective
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?

21. 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.
POV? 3rd
limited
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
We know Harold’s thoughts. “He could tell…”
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?
We don’t know the grandma’s thoughts.

22. 5
They found themselves in bed and watching, by the dim light
from the night-light, the rest of Mary Poppin’s unpacking
being performed. From the carpet bag she took out seven
flannel nightgowns, four cotton ones, a pair of boots, a set
of dominoes, two bathing-caps and a postcard album. Jane
and Michael sat hugging and watching. It was all so
surprising that they could find nothing to say. But they
knew, both of them, that something strange and wonderful
had happened at 17 Cherry Tree Lane.
POV? 1st
, 2nd
, or 3rd
limited, omniscient, OR objective
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?

23. 5
They found themselves in bed and watching, by the dim light
from the night-light, the rest of Mary Poppins’ unpacking being
performed. From the carpet bag she took out seven flannel
nightgowns, four cotton ones, a pair of boots, a set of
dominoes, two bathing-caps and a postcard album. Jane and
Michael sat hugging and watching. It was all so surprising that
they could find nothing to say. But they knew, both of them, that
something strange and wonderful had happened at 17 Cherry
Tree Lane.
POV? 3rd
omniscient
Whose feelings and thoughts do we know?
We know Michael’s and Jane’s thoughts. “But they both knew…”
Whose feelings and thoughts DON’T we know?
We don’t know Mary Poppins’ thoughts.

24. How did you do?
I challenge you to see the
world from someone else’s
perspective.
It’s an eye-opening
experience.