Determining Point of View

STEP 1
Is the narrator of the story a character in the story?

YES NO

Is the
narrator
Double Check: NO
giving
Does the narrator
directions?
use first person
pronouns (I, me,
my, mine, we, us, Double Check:
our, ours) when
talking about YE Does the narrator use
himself or herself S THIRD person pronouns
in the story? (he, him, his / she, her,
hers / it, its / they,
Double Check:
them, their, theirs) or
Does the narrator
refer to the characters
use SECOND
by their names when
YES person pronouns
talking about them?
(you, your, yours)
when talking TO
the reader?

YE
First Person S
YE
Point of View S
Third Person
Second Point of View
Person
Point of View
Remember, it is very There’s MORE! Go to
RARE for a STORY to be
in 2nd person point of the next step.
view.
 Determining Point of View continued . . .

STEP 2
What kind of THIRD person narrator is it?

Does the narrator know the thoughts and/or

feelings of ANY character in the story?

NO YES

Does the narrator know the

A narrator that can thoughts and feelings of ONE
only observe what
character or of SEVERAL
characters say and
major characters?
do but does NOT
know anyone’s
thoughts or
More
feelings is . . . ONE Than
One

Third Person
OBJECTIVE A narrator that A narrator that knows
Point of View knows the thoughts the thoughts and
and feelings of only feelings MORE THAN
ONE character ONE character
is . . . is . . .

Third Person Third Person

LIMITED OMNISCIENT
Point of View Point of View