What is point of view?

Point of view (our generation calls it the PoV) is the direction from which the
story is being told and the way the writer chooses to communicate with the
reader. In other words, it determines who is narrating the story. Some stories
are told from only one character’s point of view, while others are told from
many.

First-Person Point of View

Explanation (what it is):- In the first-person point of view, the story is told
from the perspective of a character within the story, making the reader feel
like they are inside the story. The character in the story will use pronouns
like “I”, “me”, “my” and “mine”. The person telling the story is called the
narrator and the reader has direct access to the narrator’s thoughts, feelings
and opinions, making the reading experience personal and immersive.

Why it is useful:- By allowing the reader to experience the story through the
eyes and emotions of a character, the story becomes more personal and
relatable. The biggest advantage to writing in the first-person point of view is
the emotional connection created between the narrator and the reader.
Writers use it to pull readers deeper into the story.

In video games, first-person view means you see what your character sees —
like holding a flashlight in a dark tunnel.

Extract: The first-person point of view is also used in

The Lonely Londoners by Samuel Selvon as shown in
the following extract:

‘I remember one night we sat on the bus, and

they started to sing, and their voices were like
music, soft and sweet, and I felt like I was home,
right there, in the heart of London.’

Why the first-person point of view was used and why it

helps the story:- The use of "I remember" immediately
pulls the reader into the narrator’s memory and is
used to make the moment feel intimate and authentic.
The line "I felt like I was home" conveys a moment of peace and comfort
even though the narrator is homesick in cold, lonely London.

Our research shows that Mr. Selvon uses the first-person point of view to give
a voice to the inner world of Caribbean immigrants in post-war London. Using
this point of view humanizes their experiences and shows their complex
emotions, not just their hardships. In this extract, a moment of cultural unity
is demonstrated, letting the reader know that even in a foreign city, a sense
of “home” can be recreated through community and shared culture.
Second-Person Point of View

Explanation (what it is):- In literature, second person point of view directly

addresses the reader with the pronoun “you”, creating an interactive literary
experience and bringing the reader into the story. The use of “you” implies
that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the
events are happening to them. This means that in the second-person point of
view stories are told from the perspective of the reader. The reader is
immersed in the narrative as a character involved in the story and the
narrator describes what "you" do and lets you into your own thoughts and
background.

Why it is useful:- All of our research points to the second-person point of view
creating a strong sense of absorption in the story, because instead of simply
describing what a character feels, the reader is placed into the scene.
However, because it can also feel somewhat impersonal if not handled
skillfully, the suggestion is that it is better suited to:

 short stories,
 non-fiction like self-help books,
 advertising slogans, which aim to sell a service or a product
 song lyrics, which connect with the listeners by placing them directly in
the narrative and
 other interactive media like video games.

Extract:- From our research, it seems that the most well-

known piece of fiction that employs second-person
narration might be Jay McInerney's novel Bright Lights, Big
City. However, we have chosen our extract from Open
Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson. The book begins with
"you" (the main character) walking into a bar where you
see a beautiful woman who your friend knows and:

‘You feel your heart race, and the air around you seems to
crystallize. But the only way forward is to move your feet. ’

Why the second-person point of view was used and why it

helps the story:- "You feel your heart race" makes the
reader experience the tension and vulnerability firsthand,
almost as if it is happening to them. "But the only way forward is to move
your feet" mirrors how someone might coach themselves through a difficult
situation. In this case, it can be read as a mental push or self-encouragement
to keep going despite fear or uncertainty.
The focus of Open Water is a love affair between a female dancer and “you”,
a male photographer. By writing in second person Caleb Azumah Nelson
heightens the emotional intensity that “you” as the photographer
experiences in both this relationship and the rest of his life.

Third-Person Point of View

Explanation (what it is):- Instead of being inside the character's mind, the
reader watches events from the outside, like a camera following someone. In
books, this perspective is when the narrator talks about characters using
"he," "she," or "they." Movies use this view to show entire scenes from
different angles, making it easier to see everything happening.

Why it is useful:- While the first-person and second-person are great for
generating immediacy, they are not as effective at providing a perspective
on the character, setting, or story that the character is not aware exists. The
third-person point of view allows the writer to convey things about the
character and what is about to happen to him or her that the character may
not know about. For example, if in a mystery novel the writer needs to drop
clues for the reader about what’s happening that the character may not see
or understand, then the third-person would be used. The writer would not be
able to convey those hints from a first-person or a second-person
perspective, because if the character doesn’t know about it or understand it,
then it doesn’t exist.

Third-person narration can be further classified into several types, including

limited and omniscient.

Third Person Limited;- In third-person limited narration, the narrator still

exists outside the events of the story, but does not know the motivations or
thoughts of all the characters. Rather, one character is the driver of the
story, and the reader is given a closer peek into that character’s psyche than
the others.

J. K. Rowling utilizes third-person limited narration in the Harry Potter novels.

Even though the narrator is not Harry, and Harry is referred to as 'he,' the
reader is allowed into Harry's thoughts—what he is wondering without saying
out loud. We are also, like Harry, left uncertain about
what other characters are thinking, as shown in this
extract from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:

Extract:- ‘Three days later, the Dursleys were showing

no sign of relenting, and Harry couldn't see any way out
of his situation. He lay on his bed watching the sun
sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was
going to happen to him.

What was the good of magicking himself out of his room if Hogwarts would
expel him for doing it? Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low.
Now that the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, he
had lost his only weapon. Dobby might have saved Harry from horrible
happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, he'd probably
starve to death anyway.’

Why the third-person limited point of view was used and why it helps the
story:- Although the narration uses third person ("he," "Harry"), it is limited
to Harry’s thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. The reader sees the situation
entirely through his eyes and the reader can feel his misery, frustration, and
helplessness. This makes it easy for readers to identify with him and feel his
emotional struggle, especially as he lies on his bed "wondering miserably"
about his future.

By limiting the perspective to Harry, Ms Rowling controls how much

information the reader gets. Just like Harry, the reader does not know exactly
what’s going to happen next, what the Dursleys are planning, or whether
help is coming. This keeps the reader curious and engaged, sharing in
Harry's uncertainty.

Third Person Omniscient:- Omniscient "all-knowing," and an omniscient

narrator knows every character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations even if
that character doesn’t reveal any of those things to the other characters.

Extract:- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott serves

as a good example of third-person omniscient
narration:

‘"Christmas won't be Christmas without any

presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking

down at her old dress.

"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of
pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added
little Amy, with an injured sniff.

"We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said

Beth contentedly from her corner.
The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful
words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, "We haven't got Father, and shall
not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never," but each
silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was. ’

Why the third-person omniscient point of view was used and why it helps the
story:- The story is not told from the point of view of Meg, Jo, Beth, or Amy,
but from someone who is observing the four sisters as they talk to one
another. Each character is therefore referred to by their names or the third-
person pronoun she. The narrator does not exist as a character in the story,
and the girls do not acknowledge the narrator’s presence.

However, the narrator is omniscient, which means that they know what the
characters are thinking which means that the reader can understand the
thoughts and feelings of all the sisters, not just one character. The reader
hears Jo’s frustration, Meg’s shame, Amy’s sense of injustice, and Beth’s
optimism. This allows the reader to understand each girl’s personality and
how they cope differently with hardship. It also shows how closely their
emotions are intertwined, especially in the final lines where their shared
concern for their father is felt silently by all.

Larry Flemming says in his article in “The Guardian Newspaper” on Little

Women that Ms Alcott’s use of the third-person omniscient “gives the novel a
gentle, reflective tone, almost like a caring adult telling a story about
beloved children. This tone helps create a sense of comfort and connection
for the reader, making the moral and emotional lessons of the story more
accessible and heartfelt.”

Bibliography

1. supersummary.com
2. writersdigest.com
3. open.edu
4. gradesaver.com
5. solitudes.qmul.ac.uk
6. theguardian.com
7. curioustimes.co.uk
8. study.com