Point of View
Third Person Point of View
Definition
The narrator is not a participant in the story.
Pronouns
he, him, his; she, her, hers; they, them, their, theirs
Types of Third Person Narration
Third Person Omniscient: The narrator is all-knowing and can access the inner thoughts and feelings of all characters. The narrator
can leave the main characters to describe setting, offer context, narrate past events, etc.
can offer commentary (opinions, interpretation, judgment)
Third Person Limited: The narrator can only access the inner thoughts and feelings of one character, or in some cases, a few characters; the narrator cannot leave these characters.
Third Person Objective: The narrator does not have access to any characters’ inner thoughts or feelings; they are like a fly on the wall or a camera.
First Person Point of View
Definition
The narrator is a participant in the story (a major or minor character)
Pronouns
I, me, my, we, us, our
Types of First Person Narration
Reliable: We can trust the narrator to give us an accurate accounting of events.
Naïve or Innocent-Eye: The narrator understands less than the readers because they are a child or otherwise lack understanding of the world. This often produces irony.
Stream of Consciousness: The narrator’s thoughts are conveyed in an unbroken stream meant to mimic the random flow of thoughts in a person’s mind.
Unreliable: The narrator cannot be trusted to give an accurate recounting of events; they may attempt to emphasize their strengths and cover their flaws; they may seek to conceal their guilt; they may miss important details because of an obsession with something; they may be confused; facts do not match up with conclusions
Retrospective: The narrator recounts events of an earlier time in their life.
Second Person Point of View
Definition
The reader is positioned as a participant in the story.
Second person point of view is the least common. It positions the reader as a character in the story, with the purpose of evoking an emotional response or self-reflection. It highlights the universal nature of the experience described in the text, as the role of “you” is filled by every reader who encounters the text.
Pronouns
you, your, yours