Point of View | Student Worksheet

What is Point of View?

Point of View (POV) is the perspective from which a story is told. It determines what readers can know about characters' thoughts, feelings, and events. The narrator's POV shapes everything we understand about the story!

Important: Narrator vs. Author

The narrator is NOT the author!

Author: The real person who wrote the book (Suzanne Collins wrote "The Hunger Games")
Narrator: The voice telling the story (Katniss Everdeen narrates "The Hunger Games")

The author CREATES the narrator. Even when a story uses "I," that "I" is a character the author invented, not the author themselves.

Three Types of Point of View

FIRST PERSON

Pronouns: I, me, we, us

Access: Only the narrator's thoughts

Effect: Personal, but limited & possibly biased

THIRD PERSON LIMITED

Pronouns: He, she, they

Access: ONE character's thoughts

Effect: Close to one character, but still limited

THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT

Pronouns: He, she, they

Access: ALL characters' thoughts

Effect: Complete picture, "god-like" knowledge

See the Same Scene in Three Different POVs

FIRST PERSON:

I couldn't believe Maya had said that. My face burned as everyone turned to look at me. What was she thinking? We were supposed to be friends.

We know: Only what "I" thinks and feels. We DON'T know Maya's actual thoughts.

THIRD PERSON LIMITED (focused on Sarah):

Sarah couldn't believe Maya had said that. Her face burned as everyone turned to look at her. She wondered what Maya was thinking. They were supposed to be friends.

We know: Sarah's thoughts. We DON'T know Maya's actual thoughts - only Sarah's guesses.

THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT:

Sarah couldn't believe Maya had said that. Her face burned as everyone turned to look at her. But Maya hadn't meant it cruelly - she'd been trying to help, not realizing how her words would sound. Both girls were hurting, each misunderstanding the other.

We know: BOTH characters' thoughts and feelings. The narrator knows everything.

How Does POV Affect Readers?

POV	What Readers Know	Effect on Story
First Person	Only narrator's perspective; may be biased or wrong	Creates intimacy; builds suspense (we don't know what others think)
Third Limited	One character's thoughts; others' actions only	Close to one character; maintains some mystery about others
Third Omniscient	All characters' thoughts; complete information	Creates dramatic irony (reader knows more than characters)

The Camera Analogy

Think of POV like a camera filming a movie:

First Person: The camera is strapped to ONE character's head. We see only what they see.
Third Person Limited: The camera follows ONE character closely, sometimes peeking into their mind.
Third Person Omniscient: The camera can fly anywhere and read anyone's thoughts at any time.

Your Turn! Identify the POV

1. "I walked into the cafeteria, hoping no one would notice my new haircut. They definitely noticed."

What POV is this?

A. First Person B. Third Person Limited C. Third Person Omniscient

2. "Marcus stared at his test results, his heart sinking. Across the room, Jamie grinned at her own paper, relieved that her studying had paid off."

What POV is this?

A. First Person B. Third Person Limited C. Third Person Omniscient

3. "Elena watched her brother walk away. She wondered what he was thinking, but his face gave nothing away."

What POV is this?

A. First Person B. Third Person Limited C. Third Person Omniscient

4. How would the scene in Question 1 be DIFFERENT if it were told from third person omniscient?

5. Why might an author CHOOSE first person POV for a mystery story?

Tips for Identifying POV

Check pronouns first: "I/we" = First Person. "He/she/they" = Third Person
For third person, ask: Can we read MORE than one character's mind? Yes = Omniscient. No = Limited.
Look for phrases like: "she thought," "he wondered," "they felt" - whose thoughts can we access?
Consider what we DON'T know: What information is hidden? This reveals the POV's limits.