Who Tells the Story? As you read, use pronouns to identify the narrator, or the person who tells the story. The narrator’s point of view can affect how you feel about the story. There are two points of view that are commonly used in writing:
| First-Person Point of View | Third-Person Point of View |
|---|---|
| The narrator is a character in the story and can only tell the story through his or her eyes. | The narrator is not a character in the story and can tell the story through the eyes of one or more characters. |
| The narrator refers to himself or herself using the pronouns I, me, we, or my. | The narrator refers to characters using pronouns, such as he, she, they, his, or her. |
| Example: I walked a hundred miles to safety. | Example: He walked a hundred miles to safety. |
Practice Together
Change the Point of View Read the text below. What clues tell you that it is written in the first-person point of view?
Now rewrite the text in the third-person point of view.
Try It!
Rewrite the Point of View Reread the first full paragraph on page 249 of the selection. Identify the point of view. Then rewrite it in a different point of view.
With a partner, compare the two versions of the passage. Which one seems better for a news article? Why?