Analyzing How Point of View Shapes a Literary Text

Students analyze how a narrator’s point of view influences the information, attitudes, and impressions presented in a literary passage.

Identify the Narrator

The narrator is the voice that tells a story, not necessarily the author. Begin by looking at pronouns and access to thoughts. A first-person narrator uses words such as “I” and “we” and participates in the events. A third-person narrator uses names and pronouns such as “he,” “she,” and “they.” A third-person limited narrator reveals the thoughts of one character, while an omniscient narrator can reveal the thoughts of several characters. For example, in a passage about a girl attending a lantern festival in Thailand, the sentence “I held my lantern tightly as I entered the crowd” identifies a first-person narrator who is part of the action. The narrator can directly report her own fears, but she cannot know another person’s thoughts unless that person speaks or shows them through behavior.

Distinguish Point of View from Perspective

Point of view describes the narrator’s position and the grammatical method used to tell the story. Perspective is the set of beliefs, experiences, values, and feelings through which the narrator interprets events. Two narrators can use the same point of view but have different perspectives. For example, two first-person narrators might describe the same village celebration in Ghana. A teenager who has practiced the dances for months may view the celebration with pride and excitement. A visiting cousin who does not know the customs may feel uncertain or excluded. Both accounts use “I,” so both have a first-person point of view. However, their perspectives differ because their experiences and knowledge differ. When analyzing literature from another culture, use details from the text to explain a narrator’s perspective rather than making broad assumptions about the culture.

Notice What the Narrator Reveals and Withholds

A narrator controls which information reaches the reader and when it appears. Ask what the narrator reveals about actions, thoughts, history, and relationships. Then ask what remains unknown. Withholding may result from limited knowledge, reluctance, confusion, or a deliberate storytelling choice. In a first-person passage set during a family meal in South Korea, the narrator might report, “My older brother placed the unopened letter beside his bowl and changed the subject.” The narrator reveals the brother’s action but cannot directly explain his thoughts. The contents of the letter are also withheld. This gap may create suspense and lead readers to wonder whether the brother is worried, ashamed, or protecting someone. Keep separate what the text confirms from what you infer. A strong analysis names the missing information and explains how its absence shapes the scene.

Analyze Attitudes and Biases

A narrator’s attitude is the feeling or judgment expressed toward a person, place, custom, or event. Bias is a preference or assumption that influences how the narrator presents information. Look closely at word choice, comparisons, tone, and repeated details. For example, a visitor narrating a crowded market in Morocco might call it “confusing,” while a local narrator might call the same movement “lively” or “familiar.” These words create different impressions even if both narrators describe the same sounds and activity. Bias does not always mean that a narrator is dishonest; it means the account is shaped by a particular position. Avoid deciding that one description represents an entire culture. Instead, cite specific language and explain the judgment it suggests. You might write, “The word ‘confusing’ reveals the visitor’s discomfort and limited familiarity with the market.”

Explain the Effect on the Reader

After identifying point of view and perspective, explain how they influence the reader’s response. Consider what the reader knows, whom the reader trusts, which emotions the reader feels, and how the reader interprets the cultural experience. For example, if a first-person narrator in Japan anxiously prepares for a school entrance examination, readers receive direct access to the narrator’s pressure and hopes. This closeness may create sympathy, but the limited point of view may prevent readers from knowing what the narrator’s parents or teachers truly expect. As a result, readers may initially accept the narrator’s belief that everyone will be disappointed. An effective explanation connects technique to effect: “Because the passage uses first-person narration, readers experience the examination through the student’s anxiety and may share a fear that other characters do not actually express.”