33rdrd Person Point of View Person Point of View MYSTERYMYSTERY

The PlayersThe Players

Third Person Third Person ObjectiveObjective

Third Person Limited OmniscientThird Person Limited Omniscient

Third Person OmniscientThird Person Omniscient

Third Person ObjectiveThird Person Objectivethe narrator relates the facts without recording thoughts and feeling of characters.

The facts, madam. Just the FACTS

Third Person Limited Third Person Limited OmniscientOmniscient

the narrator is outside the story but can enter the mind of one of the characters.

Kind of like

hearing your

friends deepest, darkest secrets

Third Person OmniscientThird Person Omniscient

the narrator can enter the minds of all the characters and comment on their thoughts, actions, and feelings.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLESHERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES

33rdrd PERSON OBJECTIVE: PERSON OBJECTIVE:

She watched him from across She watched him from across the room. He slammed his fist the room. He slammed his fist against the desk. He furiously swung against the desk. He furiously swung open the door and left screaming open the door and left screaming down the hall. She wiped a tear from down the hall. She wiped a tear from her eye.her eye.

33rdrd PERSON Limited Omniscient: PERSON Limited Omniscient:She watched him from across She watched him from across

the room. He slammed his fist the room. He slammed his fist against the desk. against the desk. He realized that He realized that killing that fly was not worth killing that fly was not worth breaking every bone in his hand.breaking every bone in his hand. He He furiously swung open the door and furiously swung open the door and left screaming down the hall. left screaming down the hall. He felt He felt soooo stupid.soooo stupid. She wiped a tear from She wiped a tear from her eye.her eye.

33rdrd PERSON Omniscient: PERSON Omniscient:

She watched him from across the room She watched him from across the room wondering what he kept following around wondering what he kept following around the room.the room. He slammed his fist against the He slammed his fist against the desk. desk. He realized that killing that fly was not He realized that killing that fly was not worth breaking every bone in his hand.worth breaking every bone in his hand. He He furiously swung open the door and left furiously swung open the door and left screaming down the hall. screaming down the hall. He felt soooo He felt soooo stupid.stupid. She wiped a tear from her eye. She wiped a tear from her eye. “My “My goodness,” she thought, “I’ve never seen goodness,” she thought, “I’ve never seen anything so funny in my life!”anything so funny in my life!”

SO NOW YOU THAT KNOW . . .SO NOW YOU THAT KNOW . . . It’s Your Turn. Try these on for size:It’s Your Turn. Try these on for size:

““The planter saw before him a motionless and The planter saw before him a motionless and unaltered throng . . . In the comforting, matter-of-unaltered throng . . . In the comforting, matter-of-fact light of morning, it seemed to him now that fact light of morning, it seemed to him now that the ants hadn’t a ghost of a chance.”the ants hadn’t a ghost of a chance.”

-- “Leiningin Versus the Ants”-- “Leiningin Versus the Ants”by Carl Stephensonby Carl Stephenson

THIRD PERON LIMITED OMNISCIENTTHIRD PERON LIMITED OMNISCIENT

How about this one?How about this one?

Once upon a time lived Cinderella. Once upon a time lived Cinderella. Cinderella got her name because she was Cinderella got her name because she was forced to work as a servant and to sleep forced to work as a servant and to sleep near the cinders in the kitchen’s fireplace. near the cinders in the kitchen’s fireplace. Cinderella was often made miserable by Cinderella was often made miserable by her wicked step-mother. Truth be told, her wicked step-mother. Truth be told, Cinderella’s step-mother treated her so Cinderella’s step-mother treated her so cruelly because she was very jealous of cruelly because she was very jealous of poor Cinderella’s beauty. poor Cinderella’s beauty.

THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENTTHIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN READINGWHEN READING

WHO IS THE NARRATOR?WHO IS THE NARRATOR?

IS THE NARRATOR A CHARACTER IN THE STORY, OR IS THE NARRATOR A CHARACTER IN THE STORY, OR DOES THE NARRATOR STAND OUTSIDE THE STORY?DOES THE NARRATOR STAND OUTSIDE THE STORY?

DOES THE NARRATOR KNOW ALL THE ACTION AND DOES THE NARRATOR KNOW ALL THE ACTION AND CHARACTERS IN THE STORY, OR IS THE NARRATOR’S CHARACTERS IN THE STORY, OR IS THE NARRATOR’S VIEW LIMITED TO ONE CHARACTER ONLY?VIEW LIMITED TO ONE CHARACTER ONLY?

HOW DOES THE POINT OF VIEW AFFECT MY HOW DOES THE POINT OF VIEW AFFECT MY REACTION TO THE STORY’S CHARACTERS AND REACTION TO THE STORY’S CHARACTERS AND EVENTS?EVENTS?