This document discusses five types of narrative point of view: first person, second person, third person objective, third person limited, and third person omniscient. It provides examples of each type and explains the perspective and knowledge of the narrator. It also briefly discusses character point of view, characterization, and theme. Characterization reveals details about characters, while theme is the underlying message or idea in a story that can be revealed through various elements like the plot, characters, setting, and title.

1. NARRATIVE
POINT OF VIEW
What do you know about narrative point of
view?

2. Narrative Point of View
• Refers to how the story is narrated
• Who is telling the story?

3. There are five types of narrative point of
view
• First Person
• Second Person
• Third Person Objective
• Third Person Limited
• Third Person Omniscient

4. First Person
•The narrator is a character in the story
who can reveal only his/her personal
thoughts and feelings, and what he or she
sees. Uses I, we, me, etc.
•He can’t tell us thoughts of other
characters, nor what another character is
doing unless they are in his presence.

5. Second Person
•Rarely used in a narrative
•appears in letters, speeches, and
instructions.
•uses the pronoun you to directly
address the reader

6. Third Person (Limited)
•The narrator is an outsider who can
report what he or she sees and hears.
•Pronouns such as he or she are used.
•He can tell us the thoughts of that one
character.
• Think of this as someone having a little “birdie”
on their shoulder. They can tell you what is
going on around them AND what that one
person thinks.

7. Third Person (Objective)
• The narrator is an outsider who can report
only what he or she sees and hears.
• Pronouns such as he or she are used.
• The narrator can tell us what is happening, but
he can’t tell us the thoughts of any of the
characters.
• Think of this as watching a video of something
happening. You can see what happened, but you
don’t know what anyone is thinking.

8. Third Person (Omniscient)
•The narrator is an all-knowing outsider
•Can enter the minds of more than one
of the characters.
•Can tell us the actions, as well as the
thoughts, of more than one character.
• This narrator is like God—they can see
everything that happens whenever it
happens, and they know what everyone is
thinking.

9. CHARACTER’S POINT
OF VIEW
What would you think if I asked what a
character’s point of view is?

10. Character’s point of view
• May include the character’s opinion
• May include the character’s past or perspective
• May include the character’s stance on a topic

11. CHARACTERIZATION
What do you know about characterization?

12. Characterization
Characterization is how the author develops characters’
personalities within a story.
The author may reveal details about characters in several
ways:
a)His/her physical appearance
b)What he/she says, thinks, or feels
c)What he/she does or does not do
d)What others say about him/her and how others react to
him/her

13. THEME
What do you know about theme?

14. Theme
• A message about life or human nature that a writer wants
you to understand.
• This message can often be summed up in a sentence,
such as “Hardship can bring friends closer.”
• Sometimes stated directly by the author
• Sometimes readers must figure it out
• Usually revealed at the end of a story

15. Theme may be revealed in:
• Title
• What ideas does the title emphasize?
• Plot
• What conflicts do the characters face?
• How are the conflicts resolved?

16. Theme may be revealed in:
• Characters
• How do the characters respond to the conflicts?
• How and why do the characters change?
• What lessons do the characters learn?
• Setting
• How does the setting influence the characters?
• How does the setting affect the conflicts?
• What might the setting represent?