A GUIDE FOR POV LESSON IN CREATIVE NONFICTION

1. Understanding Point of View

2. Point of view
In a narrative, the point of view refers to who is
telling the story.

3. First-person point of view
When a story is told in first-person point of view,
the narrator is a participant in the story.

4. First-person point of view
When a story is told in first-person point of view,
the narrator is a participant in the story.
I looked down from the rocky
ledge. I could see everything
around me from this location! I
hoped that I wouldn’t lose my
balance.

5. First-person point of view
First-person stories use first-person pronouns like
I, me, and my.
I looked down from the rocky
ledge. I could see everything
around me from this location! I
hoped that I wouldn’t lose my
balance.

6. Third-person point of view
When a story is told in third-person point of view,
the narrator is not in the story.

7. Third person point of view
When a story is told in third-person point of view,
the narrator is outside of the story.
Travis looked down from
the rocky ledge. He could
see everything around
him from this location!
He hoped that he
wouldn’t lose his balance.

8. Third-person point of view
Stories told in third person use third-person
pronouns like he, she, his, hers, and so on.
Travis looked down from
the rocky ledge. He could
see everything around
him from this location!
He hoped that he
wouldn’t lose his balance.

9. First or third person?
I didn’t feel ready to try the entire
Appalachian Trail, but I thought that a
two-week trip would be fun for me.

10. First or third person?
I didn’t feel ready to try the entire
Appalachian Trail, but I thought that a
two-week trip would be fun for me.

11. This is written in first-person
point of view
I didn’t feel ready to try the entire
Appalachian Trail, but I thought that a
two-week trip would be fun for me.

12. What would you change to make it third
person?
____ didn’t feel ready to try the entire
Appalachian Trail, but _____ thought that
a two-week trip would be fun for _____.

13. What about second person?
Second-person point of view pulls the
reader into the story with the pronouns
you and your.

14. Second-person point of view
You feel a sense of excitement as you
look at the kayak. This will be the day
you have been looking forward to!

15. Second-person point of view
You feel a sense of excitement as you
look at the kayak. This will be the day
you have been looking forward to!

16. Second-person point of view
Why do you think authors don’t use
this point of view very often?

17. Which point of view?
Victor looked at the moth. He couldn’t
believe that such a strange creature had
landed right outside his door.

18. Which point of view?
Victor looked at the moth. He couldn’t
believe that such a strange creature had
landed right outside his door.

19. This is third person
Victor looked at the moth. He couldn’t
believe that such a strange creature had
landed right outside his door.

20. Why do we care?
Understanding the point of view of a
story helps us to pay attention to how it
is written. When we know the point of
view, we can learn more about the
characters and the plot.

21. What point of view?
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

22. Look carefully!
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

23. This shows first-person point of view
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

24. Why might it be confusing?
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

25. Who is the narrator?
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

26. Finding the narrator
Unless the narrator introduces
himself or herself, we have to look at
dialogue to figure out the narrator of a
story written from first-person point of
view.

27. Who is the narrator?
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

28. Who is the narrator?
Sylvia looked around. “Where are
we?” she asked.
“Just off the trail,” I replied. “See?”
“Marco, there’s no trail over there,”
Sylvia said.
My heart sank. She was right.

29. First-person narrators
Knowing that the story is from
Marco’s point of view will help us to
understand his thoughts and feelings.
We won’t learn as much about Sylvia in
this story, though, because we are
seeing everything through Marco’s
eyes.

30. Which point of view?
The wizard looked around. “Where is
my apprentice?” he barked.
Eleza gulped. Already she was in
trouble. “Yes, sir?” she asked.
“I need more sunflower petals for this
spell,” the wizard grumbled. “Well,
don’t just stand there! Go!”

31. Which point of view?
The wizard looked around. “Where is
my apprentice?” he barked.
Eleza gulped. Already she was in
trouble. “Yes, sir?” she asked.
“I need more sunflower petals for this
spell,” the wizard grumbled. “Well,
don’t just stand there! Go!”

32. Don’t be fooled!
The wizard looked around. “Where is
my apprentice?” he barked.
Eleza gulped. Already she was in
trouble. “Yes, sir?” she asked.
“I need more sunflower petals for this
spell,” the wizard grumbled. “Well,
don’t just stand there! Go!”

33. Don’t be fooled!
Don’t look at dialogue to find the
point of view of a story. In dialogue,
characters use first-person pronouns all
the time. Look for the narration around
the dialogue to figure out the point of
view.

34. Look at the pronouns
The wizard looked around. “Where is
my apprentice?” he barked.
Eleza gulped. Already she was in
trouble. “Yes, sir?” she asked.
“I need more sunflower petals for this
spell,” the wizard grumbled. “Well,
don’t just stand there! Go!”

35. Third-person point of view
The wizard looked around. “Where is
my apprentice?” he barked.
Eleza gulped. Already she was in
trouble. “Yes, sir?” she asked.
“I need more sunflower petals for this
spell,” the wizard grumbled. “Well,
don’t just stand there! Go!”

36. Third-person limited
In third-person limited point of view,
the narrator reveals the thoughts and
feelings of one character only.

37. Third-person limited
Eleza scuttled to the sunflower patch.
She thought that becoming a wizard’s
apprentice would be fun and exciting.
Instead she was here in the garden,
picking sunflower petals with the
grasshoppers.
“Hurry!” the wizard called from
inside.

38. Whose thoughts are shared?
Eleza scuttled to the sunflower patch.
She thought that becoming a wizard’s
apprentice would be fun and exciting.
Instead she was here in the garden,
picking sunflower petals with the
grasshoppers.
“Hurry!” the wizard called from
inside.

39. Why this point of view?
Why might an author choose to write
a story with third-person limited point
of view?

40. Third-person omniscient
When a story is written from third-
person omniscient point of view, the
narrator reveals the thoughts and
feelings of all of the characters.

41. Third-person omniscient
Reggie stared at the water. He
thought the waves looked huge! “I
don’t think I want to swim,” he said.
Quit being such a baby, Quentin
thought, but of course he didn’t say
this aloud. “Stay on the shore then,”
he said. “I’m jumping in!”
Their mother sighed, wishing that
her boys could get along.

42. Notice all the thinking!
Reggie stared at the water. He
thought the waves looked huge! “I
don’t think I want to swim,” he said.
Quit being such a baby, Quentin
thought, but of course he didn’t say
this aloud. “Stay on the shore then,”
he said. “I’m jumping in!”
Their mother sighed, wishing that
her boys could get along.

43. Third-person omniscient
What might be a problem with this
point of view?

44. Review
A story that is told from the point
of view of a character in the story is
told from ___________ point of view.

45. Review
A story that is told from the point
of view of a character in the story is
told from point of view.

46. Review
A story that puts the reader in the
story by using the pronouns “you”
and “yours” is told from
point of view.

47. Review
A story that puts the reader in the
story by using the pronouns “you”
and “yours” is told from
point of view.

48. Review
I looked around me in delight.
Flowers, flowers, everywhere! I would
definitely be able to take a picture of a
butterfly here. With this picture, I could
win the school photo contest.
Can you identify the point of view?

49. Review
I looked around me in delight.
Flowers, flowers, everywhere! I would
definitely be able to take a picture of a
butterfly here. With this picture, I could
win the school photo contest.
First person

50. Review
Lara looked glumly around the pond.
It wasn’t a fun beach or an exciting
theme park. She wondered if the entire
vacation would be this boring.
“Isn’t the pond gorgeous?” Mom
asked.
Lara frowned. She didn’t think so.
Can you identify the point of view?

51. Review
Lara looked glumly around the pond.
It wasn’t a fun beach or an exciting
theme park. She wondered if the entire
vacation would be this boring.
“Isn’t the pond gorgeous?” Mom
asked.
Lara frowned. She didn’t think so.
Third person limited

52. Review
You stare at the distant horizon.
There—off in the distance—could it
be real? You can’t believe your eyes.
You are looking at a real UFO!
Can you identify the point of view?

53. Review
You stare at the distant horizon.
There—off in the distance—could it
be real? You can’t believe your eyes.
You are looking at a real UFO!
Second person

54. Putting it all together
What have you learned about point
of view? Write three sentences to
share your new learning.

55. Emily Kissner 2014