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Writing in 1st vs 3rd Person Viewpoint

The document discusses the differences between 1st and 3rd person viewpoints in writing, providing examples and encouraging the rewriting of sentences from 3rd to 1st person. It also explores the benefits and drawbacks of each viewpoint, as well as the impact of viewpoint choice on storytelling, using references to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and a hypothetical retelling of the Three Little Pigs from the wolf's perspective. The document prompts reflection on the effectiveness of each viewpoint for engaging narratives.

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Grant Bottomley
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6 views7 pages

Writing in 1st vs 3rd Person Viewpoint

The document discusses the differences between 1st and 3rd person viewpoints in writing, providing examples and encouraging the rewriting of sentences from 3rd to 1st person. It also explores the benefits and drawbacks of each viewpoint, as well as the impact of viewpoint choice on storytelling, using references to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and a hypothetical retelling of the Three Little Pigs from the wolf's perspective. The document prompts reflection on the effectiveness of each viewpoint for engaging narratives.

Uploaded by

Grant Bottomley
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Objective – Consider how to write with a clear viewpoint.

3rd Person (Names, he, she, they) - Mark tried to get to the ball
in time, but his attempts were met with laughter from his
other friends.

1st Person (I, my) - I couldn’t make it to the ball in time, and my
ears rang with the cruel laughter of my so called friends.

3rd Person – Lucy began to walk faster so she wouldn’t miss the bus.

3rd Person – David was walking his dog through the park when he heard the loud crash.

3rd Person – Mr. Blue had spent the whole weekend marking books.

3rd Person – Daniel and Jack raced down the street on their new bikes.

Can you rewrite each of these Extension task – Why might a


sentences in 1st person? An writer want to write in 1st person
instead of 3rd person?
example has been done for you.
1st person vs. 3rd person.

What are the differences?

What are the benefits of each


type of viewpoint?

What are the downfalls to


each type of viewpoint?

3rd Person 1st Person


Last lesson we read the opening to the
first Harry Potter novel.

What type of viewpoint is the story told


from?

How can we tell?

Why might I
have chosen to
tell my story in
3rd person?
When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When
it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom
self-conscious about his injury. His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he
stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to
his thigh. He couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt.

When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes
discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem,
who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer
Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out.

I said if he wanted to take a broad view of the thing, it really began with Andrew Jackson. If
General Jackson hadn’t run the Creeks up the creek, Simon Finch would never have paddled
up the Alabama, and where would we be if he hadn’t?

We were far too old to settle an argument with a fist-fight, so we consulted Atticus. Our
father said we were both right.

What is happening in this opening section from To Kill a Mockingbird?

Which viewpoint has the writer chosen for this novel?

Why do you think the writer chose to write in that particular viewpoint?
Changing viewpoints…

How might this story be different if it was told from the wolf’s viewpoint?
Why might the wolf be trying to
get into the pigs’ houses?

What reason would most people


assume he had for trying to get
into their houses?

Task: Retell the story in 1st person – from the wolf’s perspective. Imagine you are looking back
on what happened – in a similar style to the extract from To Kill a Mockingbird.

When I was a much younger wolf, I…

What could possibly have led to me trying to ruin the homes of


three little pigs? Well, it all started with…
1st person vs. 3rd
person.

Which viewpoint do you think is most effective for writing an


engaging narrative?

What factors might affect your decision as a writer?

Why?

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