Point of View – Three Variations with Examples

What Does “Point of View” Mean?

The narrator is the one who tells the story in the author’s voice. The narrator’s point of view refers to the perspective through which a story is told.

How Does a Story’s Point of View Work?

The events as seen by the character or narrator while telling the story are called their point of view (his or her perspective). The author chooses “who” will tell the story by choosing from a point of view. Depending on who is narrating, they might be standing and watching the action at one point.

Activity time

If you were Matthew in the passage, rewrite it in your own words.

His name was Matthew, and he had spent his entire 12-year life at Cyprus Creek. He had spent his formative years in a home just down the street with his younger brother, David. In fact, Matthew could see the old house out of the window of his new bedroom.

Answer:

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What Do You Mean by “Point of View”?

An author’s voice that tells or narrates a story is referred to as the narrator. You can determine the narrator’s relationship to the story by looking at the point of view.

There are three main points of view.

1. First-person point of view

In the first person, the narrator takes on the role of a character. First-person narrators utilize pronouns like “I,” “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” “our,” and “ours.”

Example:

I looked for shells as I walked along the shore to add to my collection.

2. Second-person point of view

As the story is told in the second person, the reader becomes a part of the action. These pronouns, including you, your, and yours, are used by second-person narrators.

Example:

You cautiously open the odd, black box. You’re so excited that your hands are shaking.

3. Third-person point of view

The narrator delivers the tale in the third person while acting as an outside observer. The characters’ thoughts are frequently known to this observer. Third-person narrators employ third-person pronouns such as “he,” “she,” “they,” “he,” “her,” and “their,” as well as character names.

Example

Henry was confident that his strategy would succeed, but Lucas was concerned. They could have discussed it more, in his opinion.

Let’s examine the variations among the first, second, and third points of view.

Point of View — 3 Main Types

After reading the passage and understanding its primary theme, write it in the third person.

I bounced back and forth while standing in the sun to stay warm. It was a typical summer day in California. It was going to get heated later. However, I required the sweater that was hidden inside the sizable dry bag of rubber at that very moment.

Answer:

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Write a second-person account of the provided text using the first-person perspective.

You get up, convinced that you made the wrong decision, intending to leave and head home immediately, but you suddenly find yourself strolling down the hallway with Mrs. Nancy. You get a floating sensation. You soon arrive at a place you have never been before.

Answer:

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