Narrative Perspective

Author’s Point of View

First-Person

Narrator is a part of the story (character).

Often uses I or we.

Example

I went home. Tim came over. I couldn't play.

First-Person tells “me” or “my” story.

Example

I went to the store with my friend. The clerk said, “Hi.” We bought candy and left.

Who is telling the story?

In First-Person the narrator is “I” or “we.”

First-Person Narration

The narrator is involved in the story.

The Story

CharactersI or We

theNarrator

Second-Person

Usually for instructions

Uses “You”; from “your” perspective.

Examples

First, gather your materials. Add 1 cup sugar to flour.

Second-Person tells “your” story.

Example

You stayed up late last night and now you’re tired, but you need to pass this class.

From whose perspective is the story told?

In Second-Person the perspective of “you” is narrated.

It is mainly used for instruction or directions.

Second-Person Narration

The reader’s actions are narrated.

The Story

Characters(if any)

Youthe

Reader

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?

Third-Person Objective

Narrator does not reveal any character’s thoughts or feelings.

Only character’s dialogue and actions are narrated.

ExampleTim slammed the door. He walked upstairs & read a note from Shay. He kicked her trash can & started crying.

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.

Third-Person Omniscient

Narrator is all knowing.Narrator tells thoughts and feelings of

more than one character.

Omni = All Scient = Knowing

ExampleTim was mad at Shay. He blamed her. Shay knew Tim would be mad, but she wanted to live her life.

Third-Person tells “his” or “her” story.Also will refer to characters by name

Example

Chris loved basketball. Everyday he played after school. When it got dark, he watched it on TV.

From whose perspective is the story told?

In Third-Person the perspective of “he” or “she” is narrated.

Narrator

Third-Person Narration

The narrator is outside of the story.

The Story

Characters“He”“She”“They”

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.

Dialogue and Narration

• Dialogue = when characters speak.

• Narration = when the narrator speaks.

• “Quotation marks” separate narration from dialogue.

Example

“Help” my cousin Jack said. 2 1

Dialogue & NarrationDialogue = When characters speak.

Narration = When the narrator speaks.

I went home. My mom said, “Did you get out early?” I said, “No.”

ONLY LOOK AT THE NARRATION,

Or you’ll get confused.

Remember!

“I” am the first-person in the story.“You” are the second-person.“He” and “she” are the third.

“I”First-Person

“He” & “She”3rd-Person

“You”2nd-Person

The Story

Pronoun Case

First-Person I, me, my, mine, we, us, ours,

Second-Person you, your

Third-Person he, she, her, they, them

(also character's names)

We are trying to figure out the narrator's view point on the story.

Perspectives and Signal Words

Secret

I am in the room

I = 1st Person

You come in the room.

You = 2nd Person

Then he or she came in the room.

He or She = 3rd Person

Mixed Point of View• Mixed Point of View: We were slowly getting closer to

our destination, but you could see that everyone was getting frustrated.

• There’s really nothing confusing about this sentence; we know exactly what it means.

• This sentence has a mixed point of view. The pronoun We is 1st person; the pronoun you is 2nd person; and if we really want to get fanatical, the pronoun everyone is 3rd person.

• We frown upon this construction in standard written English. But it’s not confusing – just wrong.

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.

Practice

1. Read the following passages.

2. Determine the narrator’s perspective.

3. Write down your answer.

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”

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, obviously happy.

3

Foresight in Relationships

The previous night, make your plans for the next day and write them down… 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.

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.

5They were standing under a tree, each

with an arm round the other's neck, and Alice knew which was which in a moment, because one of them had "DUM" embroidered on his collar, and the other "DEE." "I suppose they've each got "TWEEDLE" round at the back of the collar," she said to herself. They stood so still that she quite forgot they were alive, and she was just looking round to see if the word "TWEEDLE" was written at the back of each collar, when she was startled by a voice coming from the one marked "DUM."