Narrative Point of View: omniscient, objective, and limited with application and exercises.

1. POVPoint of View

2. POVUnderstanding Point of View
It is all about the narrator.
In a narrative, the point of view
refers to who is telling the story.
The point of view is mainly
determined by the narration, with
some help from the dialog.
First Person Third Person
Types of POV:
There may be a Second Person POV; it only exists, however, when the narrator
addresses the reader to involve him/her in the story.
It’s all
about
me!

3. POV 1The First Person POV
When a story is told in first-
person point of view,
▶ the narrator is a participant in the
story,
▶ the narrator is telling a story
about himself/herself,
▶ and the narrator uses mainly the
pronouns: I, me, my, mine, we, us,
our, ours, etc.

4. POV 1The First Person POV
Look, I didn’t want to be a half blood.
If you’re reading this because you think you might be one,
my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie
your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead
a normal life.
…
My name is Percy Jackson. I’m 12 years old. Until a few
months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a
private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.
Am I a troubled kid?
Yeah. You could say that.
Look, didn’t want to be a half blood.
If you’re reading this because you think you might be one,
advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie
your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead
a normal life.
…
name is Percy Jackson. ’m 12 years old. Until a few
months ago, was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a
private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.
Am a troubled kid?
Yeah. You could say that.

5. POV 2The Second Person POV
When a story is told in second-
person point of view,
▶ the narrator is a participant in the
story,
▶ the narrator is addressing the
reader to involve him/her,
▶ and the narrator uses mainly the
pronouns: I, me, my, mine, we, us,
our, ours, you, your, yours, etc.
However, the second person POV does not stand alone; but is usually part of the
first person POV.

6. POV 2The Second Person POV
Look, I didn’t want to be a half blood.
If you’re reading this because you think you might be one,
my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie
your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead
a normal life.
…
My name is Percy Jackson. I’m 12 years old. Until a few
months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a
private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.
Am I a troubled kid?
Yeah. You could say that.
Look, didn’t want to be a half blood.
If ’re reading this because think might be one,
advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie
mom or dad told about birth, and try to lead
a normal life.
…
name is Percy Jackson. ’m 12 years old. Until a few
months ago, was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a
private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.
Am a troubled kid?
Yeah. could say that.

7. POV 3The Third Person POV
When a story is told in third-
person point of view,
▶ the narrator is not a participant in
the story,
▶ the narrator is telling a story
about other people,
▶ and the narrator uses only the
pronouns: it, he, him, his, she,
her, they, them, their, theirs, etc.

8. POV 3The Third Person POV
'Harry had taken up his place at wizard school, where he
and his scar were famous … but now the school year was
over, and he was back with the Dursleys for the summer,
back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in
something smelly. The Dursleys hadn't even remembered
that today happened to be Harry's twelfth birthday. Of
course, his hopes hadn't been high… .'
'Harry had taken up place at wizard school, where
and scar were famous … but now the school year was
over, and was back with the Dursleys for the summer,
back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in
something smelly. The Dursleys hadn't even remembered
that today happened to be Harry's twelfth birthday. Of
course, hopes hadn't been high… .'

9. POVUnderstanding Point of View
But wait! There’s more!

10. 3rd Person
3rd Person
1st & 3rd Person
They know everything
about the characters and
events in the story; they
know the character's
thoughts, feelings, and
motives.
They never need to say
“maybe” or “perhaps” a
character feels something.
They always know.
They know only what is
experienced, thought, or
felt by a single character.
They do not seem to be
certain of what every
character is feeling.
They know only what can
be seen or heard. They
cannot know anyone’s
thoughts or feelings.
We are all objective
observers. We only know
what we see or hear. We
cannot know the thoughts
or feelings; we can only
guess.
OmniscientLimitedObjective
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
Which person of the 3 types can be described as the following?

11. Third PersonSecond PersonFirst Person
Lilly shivered and sobbed while sitting alone under the tree. Janet
felt a pang of pity for her, and though she worried what the others
might say, she walked to Lilly, sat beside her, and put her arms
around Lilly.
OmniscientLimitedObjective
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
Guess the narrator.
Third Person Limited

12. Third PersonSecond PersonFirst Person
Lilly shivered and sobbed while sitting alone under the tree. Janet
gazed at her with a stare suggestive of pity, and her lips tightened
as though she debated something of importance. Janet gave one
timid glance back at the others, and then walked boldly over to
Lilly and sat beside her and put her arms around Lilly.
OmniscientLimitedObjective
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
Guess the narrator.
Third Person Objective

13. Third PersonSecond PersonFirst Person
‘When in the world are you going to do anything, Rudolf?' asked my brother's wife one
morning at breakfast.
'My dear Rose,' I answered, 'why Should I do anything? My position is a comfortable one.
I have enough money ─or nearly enough─ for my needs (no one ever has quite enough
you know); I enjoy a good social position. I am brother to Lord Burlesdon and, through
him, to that lovely lady, his wife. Surely it is enough!'
OmniscientLimitedObjective
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
Guess the narrator.
First Person Objective

14. Third PersonSecond PersonFirst Person
Lilly shivered and tried unsuccessfully not to sob while sitting
alone under the tree. She was more embarrassed and miserable
than she had ever been. Janet felt a pang of pity for her, and
though she worried what the others might say, she walked to Lilly,
sat beside her, and put her arms around Lilly.
OmniscientLimitedObjective
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
Guess the narrator.
Third Person Omniscient

15. Third PersonSecond PersonFirst Person
Lilly shivered and sobbed while sitting alone under the tree. Janet
felt a pang of pity for her. Janet gave one timid look back to the
others. They were playing keep-away with the small boy’s wallet.
She could not tell if any of them were paying attention to her now.
Regardless, she walked to Lilly and put her arms around Lilly.
OmniscientLimitedObjective
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
Guess the narrator.
Third Person Limited

16. ▶ Point of View by tfinger
http://www.slideshare.net/tfinger/point-of-view-7901150?qid=6a187e21-bfbd-43f4-9fb9-
3e08369e07cd&v=&b=&from_search=7
▶ Point of View by Emily Kissner
http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/point-of-view-41236427?qid=6a187e21-bfbd-43f4-9fb9-
3e08369e07cd&v=&b=&from_search=3
Unlike the first person, the third person is subdivided into 3 types:
POVUnderstanding Point of View
References:

17. Thank You