Creative Writing

POINT OF VIEW
(POV)
Elements of Fiction
POINT OF VIEW

● Point of view is the narrative perspective which

describes the position of the narrator, that is,
the character of the storyteller concerning the
story being told. It can be taken as a camera
mounted on the narrator's shoulder that may
also look into the narrator's mind.
 TYPES
OF
POINT OF VIEW
 FIRST PERSON POV

● The narrator is also a character within the story, so

that the narrator reveals the plot by referring to this
viewpoint character with forms of "I" or, when plural,
"we". Often, the first-person narrative is used as a way
to convey directly the deeply internal, but unspoken
thoughts of the narrator.
 EXAMPLE

"I could picture it. I have a rotten habit of picturing

the bedroom scenes of my friends. We went out to
the Cafe Napolitain to have an aperitif and watch
the evening crowd on the Boulevard."
-Jake Barnes, The Sun Also Rises (1926) by Ernest
Hemingway
 SECOND PERSON POV

● The story is revealed through a narrator who refers to

the protagonist by using the second-person personal
pronoun, "you". It may also be the narrator who refers
to himself/herself, using "you" in a way that suggests
alienation from the events described, or
emotional/ironic distance. It is the less common
narrative technique in fiction than the first person and
the third person.
 EXAMPLE

"You walk along between the beds and seek a faceless stern
and suffering, which you decide to approach, with the object
of conversing.
'Where are you wounded?' you inquire, timidly and with
indecision, of an old, gaunt soldier, who, seated in his
hammock, is watching you with a good-natured glance and
seems to invite you to approach him."
-"Sevastopol in December" (1855) by Leo Tolstoy
 THIRD PERSON POV

● The narrator refers to every character as "he", "she",

"it", or "they, but never as "I" or "we" (first person), or
"you" (second person). In the third-person narrative, it
is clear that the narrator is an unspecified entity or
uninvolved person who conveys the story from the
outside.
 THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT
PUNCTUATION RULES

Third Person Omniscient where the narrator has knowledge

of all times, people, places, and events, including all
characters' thoughts. It reveals two or more characters’
thoughts or feelings Example:

"When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own

and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and
calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and
laid it on his lips."
-The Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne
 THIRD PERSON LIMITED
PUNCTUATION RULES

The narrator may know absolutely everything about

a single character and every piece of knowledge in
that character's mind, but the narrator's knowledge
is "limited" to that character that is, the narrator
cannot describe things unknown to the focal
character. It reveals one character’s thoughts and
feelings.
 THIRD PERSON LIMITED
PUNCTUATION RULES

For example:

"This Anselmo had been a good guide and he could travel wonderfully
in the mountains. Robert Jordan could walk well enough himself and he
knew from following him since before daylight that the old man could
walk him to death. Robert Jordan trusted the man, Anselmo, so far, in
everything, except judgment. He had not yet had an opportunity to test
his judgment, and, anyway, the judgment was his own responsibility."
-For Whom the Bells Toll (1940) by Ernest Hemingway
 ASSESSMENT

A. Read each text and determine the narrator’s point of view. Choose your
answers from the box below and write your answer on a sheet of paper.

First-Person Second-Person Third-Person

1. “Do you love candy?” I asked my friend Roxis. I always make friends with other
people.
2. To Make French Toast: First, take out a skillet to cook and turn the stove on low.
Second, you will melt the butter in the pan and stir it with a spatula. Third, beat the
eggs. Fourth, lay the bread, white or wheat, on both sides in the eggs. Fifth, sit the
bread on top of butter for 30 seconds and then turn over. Now you have a slice of
French toast, repeat.
 ASSESSMENT

First-Person Second-Person Third-Person

3. Jessie had felt sad all day. Jessie thought and thought about his situation and
he thought to himself, I need to get myself together. Maria came in the door
and asked what was wrong. He told her. Maria frowned. She felt as if she
were being abandoned by everyone.
4. We are not as close as we once were, at least not since the thing happened.
We were sitting in science class when I decided to look at her notebook. I
noticed that she wasn’t taking notes.
5. Some dark night Shelly said, “I hate squirrels,” but really she loved them.
Carol said, “They smell,” but really, she loved them too. Both of them
thought that squirrels were pretty cute.
 ASSESSMENT
B. Matching Type. Match column A with the corresponding item in column B. Write
only the letter of the correct answer on a piece of paper.
A B
11. When the narrator tells “you” or “your” story a. First-Person

12. When the narrator tells the story of “he” or “she” and
b. Second-Person
reveals two or more characters’ thoughts or feelings

13. When the narrator tells the story of “he” or “she” but
c. Third-Person
never as “I” or “we”
14. When the story is narrated from the perspective of
d. Third-Person Limited
“I”

15. When the narrator tells the story of “he” or “she” and
e. Third-Person Omniscient
reveals one character’s thoughts and feelings
 ASSIGNMENT
Choose one point of view (first person, second person, third
person) and write a journal entry about your day. Include details
about your experiences, thoughts, and emotions. You will be
presenting your entry tomorrow.
 Criteria 10 (Excellent)
RUBRICS 8-9 (Good) 6-7 (Fair) 0-5 (Needs Improvement
Provides a detailed and insightful account Presents a clear account of the Presents a clear account of the
Presents a clear account of the day's
of the day's events from the chosen point day's events from the chosen point day's events from the chosen point
events from the chosen point of view.
of view. Emotions, thoughts, and of view. Emotions, thoughts, and of view. Emotions, thoughts, and
Content Emotions, thoughts, and reflections are
reflections are vividly expressed, reflections are adequately reflections are adequately
adequately expressed, giving a solid
contributing to a rich understanding of the expressed, giving a solid expressed, giving a solid
understanding of the experience.
experience. understanding of the experience. understanding of the experience.

Speaks confidently and engages the Speaks with noticeable hesitation

Speaks with confidence and Speaks with some hesitation and
audience throughout the presentation. and little to no eye contact with the
maintains good eye contact with the limited eye contact with the audience.
Maintains excellent eye contact and uses audience. Delivery lacks
Delivery audience. Delivery is engaging and Delivery lacks consistent engagement
expressive gestures effectively. Delivery is engagement and expression,
expressive, capturing the audience's and expression, occasionally losing the
dynamic and captures the audience's failing to maintain the audience's
attention for the most part. audience's attention.
attention. attention.
Journal entry is mostly organized
Journal entry is well-structured with a Journal entry lacks organization, Journal entry is poorly organized
with a beginning, middle, and end.
clear beginning, middle, and end. Events making it difficult to follow the sequence with little to no structure. Events
Organization Events are presented in a somewhat
are presented in a logical sequence with of events or ideas. Transitions between are presented randomly or without
logical sequence with some
smooth transitions between ideas. ideas are disjointed or absent. coherence.
transitions between ideas.

Demonstrates a strong command of Contains few errors in grammar, Contains several errors in grammar,
Riddled with errors in grammar,
grammar, punctuation, and spelling with punctuation, or spelling, which do punctuation, or spelling, occasionally
Grammar and punctuation, or spelling, making it
minimal errors, enhancing the clarity and not significantly impact disrupting comprehension. Language
Style difficult to understand. Language
coherence of the presentation. Language comprehension. Language use is use is somewhat unclear or
use is unclear and inappropriate.
use is varied and sophisticated. mostly clear and appropriate. inappropriate.

Adequately communicates the

Effectively communicates the events of Partially communicates the events of
events of the day from the chosen Does not effectively communicate
the day from the chosen point of view, the day from the chosen point of view,
point of view, engaging the audience the events of the day from the
Overall engaging the audience and providing lacking clarity or coherence.
to a certain extent and providing chosen point of view. Engagement
Effectiveness meaningful insight into the presenter's Engagement with the audience is
some insight into the presenter's with the audience is minimal, and
experiences. Presentation is exemplary limited, and presentation is somewhat
experiences. Presentation is presentation is ineffective.
and leaves a lasting impression. ineffective.
generally effective.
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