1. ASManager2_6.zip Driver
2. B_VIEW1.txt File Contents

B_VIEW1.txt Driver File Contents (ASManager2_6.zip)

Name: <  >
Class: <  >
Date: <  >

Point of View, Part 1

There are two points of view that you will use as an author -- the first person and the third person. The first person refers to a character telling his or her own story. The third person refers to an outsider telling about characters in the story.

When the story is told in the first person, the narrator always uses "I."

"I passed the stranger and noticed the unfamiliar cut of his clothes."

When the story is told in the third person, the narrator refers to the characters as "he," "she," or "they."

"She passed the stranger and noticed the unfamiliar cut of his clothes."

The excerpt below is from "The Pit and the Pendulum," by Edgar Allan Poe. This story is written from the point of view of the first person. The author writes as if he were the man in the story.

Rewrite the passage so the point of view is third person rather than first person. Delete the first person references and replace each with a third person pronoun or name. Think of yourself as an onlooker who is watching and describing these events.

Steps

1)  Read the excerpt completely before you begin your rewrite.

2)  Move your cursor so it is beside the words you want to change.

3)  Make your changes in pronouns, names, etc. by moving the cursor and deleting and inserting.

Excerpt from "The Pit and the Pendulum"
By Edgar Allan Poe

A fearful idea now suddenly drove the blood in torrents upon my heart, and for a brief period, I once more relapsed into insensibility. Upon recovering, I at once started to my feet, trembling convulsively in every fiber. I thrust my arms wildly above and around me in all directions. I felt nothing; yet dreaded to move a step, lest I should be impeded by the walls of a tomb. Perspiration burst from every pore, and stood in cold big beads upon my forehead. The agony of suspense grew at length intolerable, and I cautiously moved forward, with my arms extended, and my eyes straining from their sockets, in the hope of catching some faint ray of light. I proceeded for many paces; but still all was blackness and vacancy. I breathed more freely. It seemed evident that mine was not, at least, the most hideous of fates.


Name and save this file now. (Press ctrl+S, type a name for the file, and press enter.)

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Thought Questions

Now reread your passage. Then reread the original version as Edgar Allan Poe wrote it (you will find it shown again below). After reviewing both versions, type in your thoughts about the two points of view.

Excerpt from "The Pit and the Pendulum"
By Edgar Allan Poe
Original Version

A fearful idea now suddenly drove the blood in torrents upon my heart, and for a brief period, I once more relapsed into insensibility. Upon recovering, I at once started to my feet, trembling convulsively in every fiber. I thrust my arms wildly above and around me in all directions. I felt nothing; yet dreaded to move a step, lest I should be impeded by the walls of a tomb. Perspiration burst from every pore, and stood in cold big beads upon my forehead. The agony of suspense grew at length intolerable, and I cautiously moved forward, with my arms extended, and my eyes straining from their sockets, in the hope of catching some faint ray of light. I proceeded for many paces; but still all was blackness and vacancy. I breathed more freely. It seemed evident that mine was not, at least, the most hideous of fates.

Now write your thoughts in response to the questions below.

Why do you think Edgar Allan Poe chose to write in the first person?

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What was lost or what was gained by your third person version of the passage?

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If you were the author, which point of view would you choose? Why?

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Writing in the Third Person

Write one to three paragraphs describing the following event from the third person point of view. Use your imagination and make up lots of details to add to the story. Start your story from the moment Steven is awakened. Tell what he feels and sees as he investigates the noise.

Summary of an Event

Steven was awakened by a loud crash coming from the kitchen. He was alone in the house. He went to investigate.

Your Third Person Story Describing the Event

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From Third to First

Have a friend or your writing partner rewrite your third person story into the first person. First, make a copy of your story by the angle brackets below. Then your partner can rewrite it. (If you're working by yourself, you can rewrite it from third to first person.)

A Copy of My Third Person Story

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If you haven't done so already, name and save this file now. (Press ctrl+S, type a name for the file, and press enter.)

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end of activity
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