Types of Point of View and their Examples

Point of View:

The perspective from which a story is told is called its point of view.

• It refers to the ‘eyes’ of the narrative voice that determine the position from which the story is relayed.
• Simply put point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds about the story’s events.
• All types of writing are written from a point of view. It is an essential element of a story.

Types of Point of View

• First-person point of view
• Second-person point of view
• Third-person limited point of view
• Third-person omniscient point of view
• Fourth-person point of view

Rule – Readers need to look at the pronouns used in narration and not dialogues to identify the type of point of view.

First-Person Point of View

• Everything is told from the viewpoint of the main character, usually the protagonist.
• With a first-person view, readers understand the thoughts and feelings of the main character.
• The main character tells the story, and readers see into the character’s life.
• Singular or plural first-person pronouns. Singular first person–I, me, mine, my, myself
• Plural first person –Our, ourselves, we, us

Second-Person Point of View

• Narrators speak to the readers directly. , The reader is brought into the ’tory’s action and is addressed by using the pronoun ‘you.’
• The second-person point of view attempts to turn the readers into the character.
• The second-person point of view is often used in instructional writing, speeches, and poems.
• Second person pronouns—You, yours, your, yourself/yourselves

Third Person Point of View

• There is a narrative presence telling the story and referring to the characters in the third person as ‘he’, ‘she.’
• The third-person point of view is subdivided into third-person limited and third-person omniscient.

Third Person Limited Point of View  

• The narrator is closely assigned to one character. : The narrator has access to the thoughts and experiences of just one character.

Third Person Omniscient Point of View    

• The narrator has access to all experiences, feelings, and thoughts of all the characters in the story. It is not limited to one character.

Third Person Pronouns

• Singular pronouns– She, he, him, her, his, hers, herself, himself, it, its, itself.
• Plural pronouns- They, them, their, theirs, themselves.

Fourth Person Point of View

• It is a collection of perspectives.
• Multiple narrators tell the story as one.
• Narrative voice encompasses a larger group and speaks collectively on behalf of the group.
• Generic referents are used to refer to all members of a group.
• Use of words ‘we’ and ‘us.’
• Example of larger groups:
• A community
• A social group
• A group of animals