1. Name: Date:
REVIEWING POINTS OF VIEW
POINT OF VIEW
The point of view is the relationship of the narrator to the story. There are three basic points of view.
The first is known as first person, in which a character in the story narrates, using pronouns such as I and
me to describe what he or she does. First-person narrators tell the story based on how they think and feel.
Another point of view is called second person. Unlike first person, however, the narrator addresses the
reader directly using the word you. Some kinds of nonfiction, especially instructions, use second person
frequently.
The third point of view is called third person. Third-person narrators are not part of the action and do
not speak of themselves. The pronouns he, she and they are used often. There are a few ways an author
can use this point of view:
• Third-person omniscient means that the narrator “knows all.” In third-person omniscient, the
narrarator can describe the feelings and actions of all characters, even if they are in different places at
the same time.
• Third-person limited (or third-person intimate) means that the narrator reports the events that
surround a single (main) character and describes only that character’s inner thought and fellings.
• In third-person objective, the narrator only reports events and facts that can be observed. In this
perspective, the narrator does not report what the characters are thinking.
IDENTIFYING POINTS OF VIEW
On the line beside each selection, identify which point of view is being used. Write 1st
for first person, 2nd
for second person, 3rd
-OM for third-person omniscient, 3rd
-L for third-person limited, or 3rd
-OB for third-
person objective.
_____ Sam called after Abby, “Hey!” He hoped he hadn’t made his crush seem too obvious, but as far as
he was concerned, the cat was out of the bag. When Abby spun around, he couldn’t tell if she was
frustrated or happy to see him. What he couldn’t tell was that Abby was feeling the same butterflies as
Sam.
_____ I walked down the hallway hoping no one would notice me. I figured if I kept close to the wall,
there was a chance I would blend in to the lockers. Fat chance, when you’re wearing pink overalls and
and bright green plaid pants. As I slinked further down the hallway, I cursed my mom’s fashion sense.
_____ As his father slowly poured himself a bowl of cereal – the same bowl everyday – Jose seethed
with anger. Why couldn’t his father understand? As his dad ate his daily breakfast and read his paper,
seeming not to notice his son’s growing anger and frustration, Jose finally gave up. He grabbed his books
and eased his way out the door, trying not to make a sound.
_____ You must realize how difficult is is for kids like us these days.
_____ As Kwame rounded the bases, he thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest with
excitement. But as he noticed the tears streaming down the face of Johnny, the pitcher who’d just let up
the final run, he remembered what it was like to fell the agony of defeat.
2. _____ An A+! Finally my weeks of hard work and determination had paid off! I couldn’t wait to tell my
uncle how well I’d done on my math test.
_____ Jill brushed past Debra without so much as a nod. Debra, for her part, walked to the other side of
the hallway before proceeding on her way. So much for 10 years of wonderful friendship.
_____ When opening the package, you should use caution, since there may be hazardous chemicals
inside.
WRITING USING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW
After walking through the woods, Goldilocks happens upon the home of the three bears. Hungry
and tired, she enters and makes herself at home. She tries the different kinds of pooridge she finds
until she’s satisfies, and she tests out all the beds until she finds the one that is “just right.” The
bears, who have been working at the Bear County Saw Mill all day, come home to find their
pooridge eaten and their beds slept in.
Rewrite this scenario using the first person point of view from the perspective of Goldilocks.
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Now write the same paragraph using the third-person limited perspective (using Papa Bear as the main
character who’s throughts and feelings the narrator can tell).
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Write the same passage using a third-person objective point of view.
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How would a first person version of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” written from Goldilocks’ point of
view differ from a first person version written from Baby Bear’s point of view?
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