Point of View (1st, 2nd, 3rd Person) Study Notes

Understanding Point of View is like figuring out who is telling a story. Is it a character in the story, or someone outside looking in? The point of view changes how we experience the story and what information we learn.

🧐 What is Point of View?

Point of View (POV) refers to who is telling the story and how much information the narrator has. It's about the perspective from which the story is being told. There are three main types:

• First Person: A character in the story tells it.
• Second Person: The narrator speaks directly to the reader.
• Third Person: Someone outside the story tells it.

👤 1st Person Point of View

In 1st Person Point of View, one of the characters inside the story is telling it. You hear their thoughts, feelings, and what they see directly from them.

📌 Key Clues: Pronouns

• I
• me
• my
• mine
• we
• us
• our
• ours

💡 How it Works

"I walked to the park, and my dog, Buster, ran ahead of me. We love to play fetch there. I often wonder what Buster thinks about when he chases the ball."

• The narrator is a character in the story.
• You only know what that one character thinks, feels, sees, and hears.
• It makes you feel like you are right there with the character.

👉 2nd Person Point of View

In 2nd Person Point of View, the narrator speaks directly to you, the reader. It's like the story is happening to you! This is less common in novels but often found in instructions, recipes, or "choose your own adventure" books.

📌 Key Clues: Pronouns

• you
• your
• yours

💡 How it Works

"First, you open the book to page 10. Then, you decide if you want to go left or right. If you choose left, turn to page 12."

• The narrator makes the reader a character in the story.
• It gives instructions or directions directly to the reader.

📖 3rd Person Point of View

In 3rd Person Point of View, someone outside the story is telling it. This narrator is not a character in the story. They tell you about what all the characters are doing and saying.

📌 Key Clues: Pronouns

• he
• him
• his
• she
• her
• hers
• it
• its
• they
• them
• their
• theirs

💡 How it Works

"Maria skipped down the street. She saw her friend, Tom, waiting by the swings. He waved to her. They were excited to play together."

• The narrator is an observer, not a character.
• The narrator tells about the actions and words of other characters.
• Sometimes, the narrator can also tell you what one or more characters are thinking or feeling.

📝 Point of View Summary Table

Here’s a quick way to remember the different points of view:

Type of POV	Who is Telling the Story?	Key Pronouns	What You Know
1st Person	A character in the story	I, me, my, we, us	Only the narrator's thoughts/feelings
2nd Person	The narrator speaks to the reader	You, your, yours	Instructions or actions for "you"
3rd Person	Someone outside the story	He, she, it, they, them	What characters do, say, and sometimes think/feel