8th Grade Point of View

8th Grade Point of View

By Lacy McAllister

Point of View

Every story has a narrator. The narrator is the speaker who tells the story to the reader. Think of it this way: first-person narrators tell you their own stories. Second-person narrators tell stories using the word "you" to tell you how something is done. Third-person narrators tell you stories about others.

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Point of view is crucial in a story. Writers write for a specific purpose, but they also choose the point of view to make the story as effective as possible. Point of view affects the story's interpretation. ​

The speaker is talking to the reader and uses the pronoun you. This is rarely used in fiction, but is fairly common in poetry, short essays, and songs.

Second Person

The narrator tells the story from I point of view.

​First Person

Interpretation is your own understanding of what you read. Think of your favorite hero stories. How much different would the characters and events be portrayed if the stories were told from the villian's point of view?​ Below are some features of POINT ofVIEW

Third Person

Omniscient

Limited​

An outside observer tells a story describing characters as "he," "she," or "they".

The narrator is capable of knowing, telling, and seeing all that happens to the main characters.

​The speaker tells the story knowing only what is seen, heard, and felt by the thoughts and viewpoint of one character (usually the main character, but sometimes an outsider)

Multiple Choice

"Did you like the movie?" I asked my friend, Tina. Is the text first, second, or third person point of view?

• First

• Second

• Third

Multiple Choice

First, put a skillet on the stove on low heat. Second, put a small amount of butter or margarine in the skillet to melt. Third, beat 1-2 eggs with a fork or whisk for 15 seconds. Fourth, gently move the eggs around in the skillet until the eggs become solid. Fifth, add some salt or pepper to season the eggs. This is all you need to know in order to make delicious scrambled eggs. Is the text first, second, or third person point of view?

• First

• Second

• Third

Multiple Choice

Sarah felt sad all day. She thought about her situation, and she knew she needed to talk to someone. Maria came in the door and asked what was wrong. Sarah told her. Is the text first, second, or third person point of view?

• First

• Second

• Third

Multiple Choice

We are not as close as we once were, at least not since we were kids. We were sitting on the couch trying to think of something to talk about. Is the text first, second, or third person point of view?

• First

• Second

• Third

Multiple Choice

As you gaze upon the stars at night

When the moon is so very bright

Now is the time to say farewell

For you will soon fall under the sandman's spell.

• First

• Second

• Third

Multiple Choice

Excerpt from "The Red-Headed League"

This excerpt is from a story about the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The narrator is Holme's friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. Watson has come to see Holmes and finds him talking with Jabez Wilson, a man with fiery red hair who needs the detective's assistance.

1. I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our vistor bore every mark of being an average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy gray shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frockcoat, unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament. A frayed top-hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features.

2. Sherlock Holmes's quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual labor, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has been in China and that he has done a considerable amount of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else."

3. Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion.

4. "How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did manual labor. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's carpenter. What point of view does the author use?

• first-person

• second-person

• third-person limited

• third-person omniscient

Multiple Choice

Excerpt from "The Red-Headed League"

This excerpt is from a story about the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The narrator is Holme's friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. Watson has come to see Holmes and finds him talking with Jabez Wilson, a man with fiery red hair who needs the detective's assistance.

1. I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our vistor bore every mark of being an average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy gray shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frockcoat, unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament. A frayed top-hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features.

2. Sherlock Holmes's quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual labor, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has been in China and that he has done a considerable amount of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else."

3. Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion.

4. "How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did manual labor. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's carpenter. Which statement supports the correct answer to the last question?

• First-person point of view tells a story from a narrator's perspective, using I and me in describing the plot.

• Second-person writing uses the pronouns you and yours.

• Third-person limited point of view means that the narrator tells what is seen, heard, and felt by only one of the characters.

• Third-person omniscient point of view means that the narrator knows everything about all of the characters.

Fill in the Blank

1. Cassandra sat at the back of the school bus staring out of the window. She was still reeling from the fight she had with her mother that morning. All she wanted was to go to Diane's sleepover on Friday, but her mother said that Cassandra had to stay home and baby-sit her brother, Steven. Cassandra fought back tears as she remembered the heated argument she had with her mother earlier that morning.

2. "Mom, why can't I go to Diane's sleepover?"

3. "Cassie, you know I have to work late."

4. "But, Mom, this is really important to me. Can't Grandma watch Steven?"

5. "You know your grandmother hasn't been feeling well, and besides, Steven would be too much for her to handle all by herself. Money is tight right now, so I am counting on you to help me out when I have to work late."

6. "Well, all I know is that ever since you and Dad got divorced, I never get to do anything fun. Please let me go to the sleepover."

7. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but you are babysitting your brother on Friday, and I don't want to hear another word about it. Don't you think that I would like to be home Friday night rather than having to go to work?"

8. "Fine! Be that way. It's obvious that you don't care about me at all." Cassandra yelled as she walked out of the door. From which point of view is this passage written?

Fill in the Blank

1. Cassandra sat at the back of the school bus staring out of the window. She was still reeling from the fight she had with her mother that morning. All she wanted was to go to Diane's sleepover on Friday, but her mother said that Cassandra had to stay home and baby-sit her brother, Steven. Cassandra fought back tears as she remembered the heated argument she had with her mother earlier that morning.

2. "Mom, why can't I go to Diane's sleepover?"

3. "Cassie, you know I have to work late."

4. "But, Mom, this is really important to me. Can't Grandma watch Steven?"

5. "You know your grandmother hasn't been feeling well, and besides, Steven would be too much for her to handle all by herself. Money is tight right now, so I am counting on you to help me out when I have to work late."

6. "Well, all I know is that ever since you and Dad got divorced, I never get to do anything fun. Please let me go to the sleepover."

7. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but you are babysitting your brother on Friday, and I don't want to hear another word about it. Don't you think that I would like to be home Friday night rather than having to go to work?"

8. "Fine! Be that way. It's obvious that you don't care about me at all." Cassandra yelled as she walked out of the door. How do you know this passage is written in this point of view?

Multiple Choice

1. Cassandra sat at the back of the school bus staring out of the window. She was still reeling from the fight she had with her mother that morning. All she wanted was to go to Diane's sleepover on Friday, but her mother said that Cassandra had to stay home and baby-sit her brother, Steven. Cassandra fought back tears as she remembered the heated argument she had with her mother earlier that morning.

2. "Mom, why can't I go to Diane's sleepover?"

3. "Cassie, you know I have to work late."

4. "But, Mom, this is really important to me. Can't Grandma watch Steven?"

5. "You know your grandmother hasn't been feeling well, and besides, Steven would be too much for her to handle all by herself. Money is tight right now, so I am counting on you to help me out when I have to work late."

6. "Well, all I know is that ever since you and Dad got divorced, I never get to do anything fun. Please let me go to the sleepover."

7. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but you are babysitting your brother on Friday, and I don't want to hear another word about it. Don't you think that I would like to be home Friday night rather than having to go to work?"

8. "Fine! Be that way. It's obvious that you don't care about me at all." Cassandra yelled as she walked out of the door. How would this passage be different if it were told from the mother's point of view?

• The reader would know why Cassandra's parents got divorced.

• The reader would know that the mother thinks Cassandra is a selfish person.

• The reader would know that the mother depends on Cassandra to take care of Steven while she is at work.

• The reader would know that the mother doesn't want Cassandra to go to the sleepover.

Multiple Choice

1. Cassandra sat at the back of the school bus staring out of the window. She was still reeling from the fight she had with her mother that morning. All she wanted was to go to Diane's sleepover on Friday, but her mother said that Cassandra had to stay home and baby-sit her brother, Steven. Cassandra fought back tears as she remembered the heated argument she had with her mother earlier that morning.

2. "Mom, why can't I go to Diane's sleepover?"

3. "Cassie, you know I have to work late."

4. "But, Mom, this is really important to me. Can't Grandma watch Steven?"

5. "You know your grandmother hasn't been feeling well, and besides, Steven would be too much for her to handle all by herself. Money is tight right now, so I am counting on you to help me out when I have to work late."

6. "Well, all I know is that ever since you and Dad got divorced, I never get to do anything fun. Please let me go to the sleepover."

7. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but you are babysitting your brother on Friday, and I don't want to hear another word about it. Don't you think that I would like to be home Friday night rather than having to go to work?"

8. "Fine! Be that way. It's obvious that you don't care about me at all." Cassandra yelled as she walked out of the door. Which sentence from the passage supports the correct answer to the previous part?

• "It's obvious that you don't care about me at all."

• "Cassie, you know I have to work late."

• "She was still reeling from the fight she had with her mother that morning."

• "Don't you think that I would rather be home Friday night rather than having to work?"

• "Money is tight right now, so I am counting on you to help me out when I have to work late."