AP Notes 160

Question 1

Terms Associated with Point of View:

Answer 1

1. First Person point of view: the person telling the story is one of the characters in the
   story. It is the “I” point of view. It is the most limited among the types because the
   narrator can only state what he or she sees, feels, and hears. He or she cannot go into
   the minds of the other characters.
2. Second Person point of view: refers to the use of “you” in explanations or arguments.
   It is not frequently used, but is appropriate in certain circumstances. Most second
   person points of view occur within instructions that are meant to be followed.
3. Third Person limited or third person objective: the person telling the story is not one
   of the characters in the story. He or she is an outside observer. The reader can only
   know what one character learns through interaction with other characters or through
   overheard conversations. The narrator cannot supply the thoughts or feelings of other
   characters in the story.
4. Third Person omniscient: the narrator is not a character in the story, but the events in
   the story are seen through the eyes of more than one of the characters. The narrator is
   considered to be “all knowing” and cannot only see and hear everything that is
   happening to all characters in the story, but can also enter their minds and tell the
   reader what each is thinking and feeling. This is the least limited point of view because
   the narrator has knowledge of all the characters.