Point of View

Point of view refers to the way a story is told, the perspective or angle of vision or position from which the events are narrated for the reader. Sometimes the author "tells" the story; sometimes one of the characters does so. Sometimes this narrator knows all about everything; sometimes the narrator is limited in her or his knowledge and outlook. These methods of storytelling and the examples of point of view are detailed below.

First Person

First person point of view uses "I" or "we." First person is often used when someone is stating an opinion or sharing a feeling.

Second Person

Second person point of view uses the word "you." Second person is a good choice when giving directions or anytime you're speaking directly to someone. Second person is almost never used to tell a story.

Third Person

Third person point of view uses "he," "she," or "they." Sometimes "it" is used when talking about a thing instead of a person.

Third Person Limited

In third person limited point of view, the narrator is a non-participant, but only knows the thoughts and feelings of a single character. In other words, the narrator's knowledge of the situation is limited only to one character.

Third Person Omniscient

In the omniscient mode, the writer is a non-participant, but is able to see into and have unlimited knowledge about any or all of the characters. From this angle, the author can roam anywhere, see anything, and comment on or interpret events at will.

Narrator

The narrator is who tells a story. In many cases, the narrator tells or recalls the events. The narrator shows the actions of the characters in the story to the reader.

To identify and describe the narrator, a reader must find out who is telling the story. The narrator is the voice that "talks" to the reader. He or she is not necessarily the author of a story. It could be a character that the author made up to tell the story. It also could be simply an all-knowing narrator that relates the story to the reader.

The Narrator as a Character

The narrator can be someone in the story who tells the story from his or her point of view. When the narrator is a character in the story, sometimes another character says the narrator's name. The narrator usually uses words like "I," "me," and "we" to show that a person from the story is personally experiencing the action. When the author has one of the characters in the story narrate the events, it gives the reader a close connection to the events.

The Unnamed Narrator

Sometimes, the narrator won't be named in the stories you read. When this happens, it may be because the story is told from the point of view of someone all knowing. He or she knows all of the characters' thoughts and actions. The narrator can be a part of the story, or the narrator can just tell the story.

When the narrator doesn't act or speak to the other characters, the narrator is a voice outside of the story action. He or she usually uses words like "he," "she," "it," and "they."

Literary Devices

Figurative language is a tool that an author uses to help the reader see what is happening in a story or poem. Some common types of figurative language are: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification. Below are some definitions and examples of these types of figurative language.

Flashback

A flashback interrupts the plot of a story and goes back to a past event. When a story is told in flashbacks, it's usually done to show how something or someone was before the story took place.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is where future events in a story, or sometimes the outcome, are suggested or hinted to by the author before they happen.

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect.

examples:

• This book weighs a ton.

• I could sleep for a year.

Imagery

Imagery is an author's use of descriptive and figurative language to create a picture in the reader's mind.

Irony

Irony is the difference between reality and the way things in a story appear to be.

example:

• In the movie Home Alone, a young boy's parents leave for vacation and accidentally forget to bring the boy along. He is left home all alone. Reality would suggest we worry about his safety. It is ironic that while we worry about him, he is able to stop two adults from robbing his house. We should worry about the robbers.

Metaphor

A metaphor states that one thing is something else. It is a comparison, but it does not use "like" or "as" to make the comparison.

examples:

• The river was a winding snake in the forest. (This compares the river to a snake by stating that it is a snake.)

• The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day. (This compares the pillow to a cloud by stating that the pillow is a cloud.)

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which things are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form.

examples:

• A reference to thunder booming "angrily" personifies thunder by giving it emotion.

• a smiling moon

Satire

Satire is irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.

Simile

A simile is a comparison using "like" or "as." It usually compares two dissimilar objects.

examples:

• The man was as tall as a tree. (This compares the man to a tree.)

• The crater was as wide as a football field. (This compares the crater to a football field.)