Introduction
Characters are the people that make up a story. Their role within the story can be detailed with characterization. Often times, the beginning of a story will include pertinent details about the characters to give the reader a bit of background knowledge. Describing characters in detail gives context and sets a foundation for the story. The first two pieces of information you’re likely to come across is the introduction of a protagonist and antagonist.
Protagonist – the lead character, often the hero of the story
Antagonist – the opposing character, often the villain of the story
The point of view in the story has a great deal of impact on the view a reader might have of the characters. To determine the point of view, you should pay close attention to the pronouns that are used. The following breakdown will give you a better idea of which point of view the story is being told from.
- First Person: I/Me/My
- Second Person: You/Your
- Third Person: She/He/Her/His
The point of view also ties in with the reliability of the narrator. You might ask yourself what a perspective might look like if someone is telling a story about themselves (first person) vs. a story about one of their close friends (third person). Second person, which is rare, is a way for the author to speak directly to the reader.
Once you’ve determined the initial point of view, you can analyze a deeper meaning for the following: reliable first person, unreliable first person, omniscient third person, limited third person, objective third person, and second person.
Characterization, Perspective, and Point of View (POV)
Characters and Characterization
The characters are the persons that are involved in the story. Obviously, Harry Potter is the main character. The main character is often called the protagonist. Since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a novel, we meet many other characters as well. Look at the character list on Sparknotes – Harry Potter. Which characters would you rank as the most important? It would be surprising if you did not include Harry’s friends Ron and Hermione, his enemies Draco and the scary Voldemort, and not to forget “the good guys,” Professor Dumbledore and the giant Hagrid.
How are the characters described? In the novel we are admitted to Harry’s thoughts and fears and based on that, we can say something about Harry as well as his relationship with other characters.
Most novels will have a hero, a good guy. There is no doubt that Harry Potter is the hero and protagonist, and he has a lot of good friends. How do we know that they are good? We have to depend on information about looks, behavior and speech.
Characters and Characterization (Easy Novel Guide). Authored by: Eli M. Huseby and Knut Inge Skifjeld. Provided by: NDLA. Located at: http://ndla.no/en/node/62750?fag=42. License: CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Perspective and Point of View
Perspective and Point of View. Authored by: Suan Anon. Located at: https://prezi.com/rpiacgxcnqpk/perspective-and-point-of-view/#. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Public and Reusable Prezi
Point of View
Point of View. Authored by: mistersato411. Located at: https://youtu.be/SKi56cPUSFk. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube License
Summary
Characters are the heart and soul of a story, with protagonists being the main character (often viewed in a positive light) and antagonists holding an opposing view.
Characterization is the art of adding life to characters; authors embed details in each story to give a certain viewpoint for their characters. The point of view has an impact on how a reader might interpret the characterization and give more thought towards where the information is coming from.
The point of view provides a perspective to the reader, and the most simplified types of point of view are first, second, and third person. After using pronouns (I/you/he/she) to determine the point of view, the reader can then analyze the reliability of the given perspective. Categories for a determination of point of view include: reliable first person, unreliable first person, omniscient third person, limited third person, objective third person, and second person.
