2/14/03

Two assignments: understanding point of view and writing point of view.

1. Read the following explanations:

Point of view is the perspective an author lets the reader see the action of a story.  You will be creating point of view when you write your short stories.

There are three main styles: first person, second person, and third person.

First Person: The narrator's feelings and thoughts are readily available to the reader and can allow for a great range of emotion.  The reader often feels attached to the narrator.  First person uses the pronoun "I."

Example:  I walked through the doorway and saw a magnificent garden.

Second Person: Rarely used in narratives, and you won't be using it.

Example: You walk through the doorway and see the magnificent garden.  

Third Person: The narrator tells the story without participating in it.  The author uses pronouns such as "he," "she," and "they."  There are two types of third person point of view: limited and omniscient.

The limited narrator is restricted to describing the character's actions without delving into the inner lives of the characters.

The omniscient, or "all-knowing," narrator can tell about any of the character's actions AND thoughts and emotions.

Examples:

Limited - Joey came up to bat with the bases loaded and two outs.   In the stands, his dad sat nervously biting his nails.

Omniscient - Joey tried to muster up some confidence as he came up to bat with bases loaded and two outs.  In the stands, his dad sat nervously biting his nails and remembering his own little league experiences.

Now, reread the above information until you can see the differences and recall what the different types of point of view mean.  You should be able to define and give examples for the terms below.  Test yourself to see if you can.

point of view
first person
second person
third person
third person limited
third person omniscient

There is no written work attached to this part of the assignment.   Just make sure you understand the different types of point of view.

2.  Write two short narratives (200-300 words) about the same characters/setting/subject.  One narrative must use first person and the other must use third person (either limited or omniscient).  After you write the two, write a short paragraph about which point of view worked better and why. 

Assignment: two 200-300 word narratives about the same thing: one first person and one third person and a paragraph analyzing which is better. 
Save As: "Point of View"
Save In: Homework folder