Point of View

Literature also provides a lens through which readers look at the world. Point of view is the way the author allows you to “see” and “hear” what’s going on. Skillful authors can fix their readers’ attention on exactly the detail, opinion, or emotion the author wants to emphasize by manipulating the point of view of the story.

While reading a fiction or non-fiction book, readers see and experience the events and feelings about the characters through a certain point of view, which is called a “perspective.” A perspective is a literary tool, which serves as a lens through which readers observe characters, events, and happenings.

The following is a brief rundown of the most common POVs and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

This quest asks you to discuss how Ian Keteku’s point of view is conveyed through language and performance techniques in his animated video "Right Side Up".  How does Keteku communicate his perspective?  How is his identity conveyed in language and performance techniques, remembering that the way we present our information is tied to our identity?

Ian Keteku, "born as Ian Nana Yaw Adu Budu Keteku, his birth name mimics his diverse talents and interests. Raised in Canada and of Ghanaian heritage, Keteku earned the title of World Slam Poetry champion in France in the summer of 2010" (wiki).  He is known for experimenting with the slam poetry form. His latest album pairs spoken word with electronic melodies, a sound he calls "poetronica." His 2011 animated video Right Side Up falls into a different category; with backing vocals from Chloe Perrault and Gabrielle Giguere, it's something of an adult nursery rhyme about seeing things from a different perspective.