Point of View The angle of vision from which a story is told. To uncover the type of point of view, answer these three questions: 1. Who is the narrator? 2. What part does the narrator play in the story? 3. What are the limits of the narrator’s knowledge of characters’ thoughts and feelings?

Narrator The voice or character who is telling the story. The narrator of a story is not the author! The author “creates” the narrator The type of narrator chosen is deliberate; it affects the meaning of the entire story. Changing the narrator changes the point of view, which can greatly impact the story.

Types of Point-of-View There are two types: First-Person Third-Person

First-Person point of view Called “first person” because first person pronouns (I, me, we, us, our) are used. The narrator can be a major character (the story is told by and is chiefly about the narrator). The narrator can be a minor character (the narrator tells a story that focuses on someone else, but the narrator is still a character in the story.)

Why use First-Person? First-person point of view offers immediacy. The reader perceives what the individual “I” perceives in “real time.” We experience it as the narrator experiences it.

Third-Person Narrator Called third-person because third- person pronouns (he, him, she, her, they, them) are used. The narrator doesn’t always have to be a participant in what’s going on in the story.

Types of 3rd Person Narrator: Objective 3rd Person The narrator knows nothing about what other characters are thinking or feeling. The narrator merely describes what others say and do. Think of a surveillance camera. Limited Omniscient The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character but not the others. Omniscient 3rd Person Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters and can freely tell us everything.

Special Types of Narrators Naïve or Innocent Narrator—a narrator that fails to understand all of the implications in a story. Unreliable Narrator—story is told by a person who is deceptive, deluded, deranged, or has reasons to distort the truth.

DON’T FORGET: The choice of point of view is critical to the overall meaning of the story. You must ask “why?” Why did the author choose this particular narrator and this type of point of view? What was the author’s intention?

What type of point of view does Something Wicked This Way Comes use What type of point of view does Something Wicked This Way Comes use? How do you know? How would the story be different if it were in another point of view? Why?

Assignment: Pick a key scene from Something Wicked This Way Comes that involves Mr. Dark. Re-tell the scene from his point of view (first person). So you will pretend to BE Mr. Dark and explain your thoughts/feelings about what is going on and the other characters. Suggested Scenes: Ch. 18, Will and Jim meet Mr. Dark Ch. 24, Mr. Dark reveals Mr. Electrico Ch. 35, Mr. Dark meets Mr. Halloway

You re-telling of the scene should be about 3 paragraphs long and involve: Mr. Dark’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations, as well as what happens in the scene.