The Power of Third Person Point of View

Point of view is the perspective from which a story is told, and one common perspective used in writing is the third person point of view. It can be tricky to understand point of view because there are 3 different types, and novels don’t just come out and tell you what type of point of view they’re written in. Point of view requires using inferential reading skills. 

Some writers use more than one type of perspective in their novels, as well. If you’ve ever read A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, then you know how confusing it becomes when he switches between first and third person!

Three Types of Point of View

There are three different types of point of view a writer can use which directly influence writing style. 

First person point of view tells the story from the perspective of the narrator. The narrator is a character in the story and participates in the action.

Example: “I woke up to my mother yelling my name from downstairs. That’s when I realized I’d overslept. My project was due in 30 minutes. I was toast.”

Second person point of view is the least commonly used point of view. Second person is when the story is told from the point of view of the reader. It is easily identified by the pronoun you. 

Example: “You walk into the abandoned building and hear the faint sound of footsteps. You turn the corner and discover you’re not alone.”

Third person point of view is the most common point of view used by published authors. In the third person point of view, the narrator is completely removed from the action of the story but still is able to see and relay everything as it unfolds. The narrator can follow more than one character through the story and switch between them at will. Third-person point of view is easily identified by the use of the pronouns “he,” “she,” “they” when referring to characters. 

Example: “Sarah couldn’t believe her luck! She’d never won anything in her life and now she was suddenly a millionaire.”

Third Person Objective

Third-person objective is a style where the narrator is not a character in the story. In other words, he or she does not speak directly to the reader and does not reveal information that no one else knows. Third-person objective is used in news stories and biographies.

Third Person Limited

In the third-person limited point of view, the narrator tells us what the characters are thinking and feeling, but we don’t see inside the character’s head. This means that even though we may be told one character is angry, for example, we won’t actually see them getting angry. Instead, all of our information about how they feel comes from what other characters (including an omniscient narrator) say about them.

Limited is a more intimate point of view than either first- or third-person objective because it allows readers to get into the minds of characters without being able to hear their thoughts themselves or share in their experiences directly. It also has the ability to give more insight into characters’ emotions and motivations than an objective narrator could provide—but at a cost: limited narration does not allow us access to all events in a story as they happen. 

Limited narration can also mean that some details become unclear when compared with other points of view.

Third Person Point of View Omniscient

Third-person omniscient point of view is the most common and allows the narrator to tell you what a character is thinking and feeling, as well as give you outside information about the other characters. It’s like having an all-knowing friend who can tell you anything about what’s going on inside his or her head (which honestly when you think about it is kind of scary…).

The narration can go into your character’s thoughts, feelings and opinions at any time during the story. The narrator might also tell you things that are going to happen later in the story (we know this as foreshadowing).

Why is third person in writing effective?

Third person point of view is so effective because it directly influences the tone of writing. For example, third person objective can be used to create a tone of objectivity. Similarly, using third person omniscient can be used to create a tone of intimacy. Whereas first person limited can create a ton of distance or subjectivity. 

Third Person Point of View Examples

“In the deepest sea dwells a creature with no name. It’s not a fish, and it’s not a mammal. It has gills and scales and fins, but also lungs and hair. It sings through its bones when it feels lonely.”

👉 This is an example of third person omniscient. Notice how the narrator is able to know what the fish does when it feels lonely, something that would not be possible without that “all knowing” power that comes with a third person omniscient narrator.

“Lightning flashed in the sky, followed by thunder that rumbled like an angry god’s belly growling for rain.”

👉 In this example of third person objective, the narrator offers no commentary on the events that transpired in the scene, only the facts. 

“Something very painful was going on in Harry’s mind. As Hagrid’s story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before…”

👉 Fellow Harry Potter fans, doesn’t this example just hit ya right in the feels? This is an example of third person limited. The narrator is not taking place in the scene and can objectively see what’s happening to Harry, and while the narrator can see a glimpse into some of how Harry is feeling based on his body language, the narrator doesn’t have the gift of seeing into Harry’s mind to know his thoughts and feelings. 

FAQ:

1. Is “we” third person point of view? 
   1. The pronoun we includes the narrator as a character. Because it is a derivative of the use of I, this makes it a pronoun used in first person point of view.
      
2. When should I write using third person POV? 
   1. The point of view from which the story is told impacts the reader’s experience. Generally speaking, if you want your writing to have rich character development, more flexibility when it comes to who or what is narrating your story, and you want to establish a trustworthy narrator, third person works well!
      
3. Is it okay to change points of view when writing? 
   1. Sometimes writing from multiple points of view creates an exciting experience for readers! To use an earlier example, A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket switches from first and third and it brings life to the story. While you certainly can change points of view when writing, be careful not to do so excessively and be sure to signal to your audience that the change has occurred so your writing doesn’t become confusing.
      
4. When writing in APA style, should I use first or third person?
   1. APA style dictates you write in the first person point of view when you are discussing your own research and own work. 

Conclusion

Point of view is a powerful tool that can be used to add depth and complexity to a story. Helping your students understand the differences between the types of point of view will deepen their literary analysis skills and add a richness to their class discussions! 

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