Name                                                       

 

An Outsider’s View

 

Point of view is the voice a writer uses to present a story. In The Outsiders events are told by Ponyboy. When a story is told by a character in his or her own words, the author is using first person point of view.

 

Using first person does not limit an author because the thoughts and observations of only one character can be introduced. Come scenes might be more clearly and fully explained if the author chose a different viewpoint. For example, the rescue from the burning church might have been described more clearly by a bystander or a reporter.

 

A reporter usually adopts the third person point of view. This means the reporter tells only what is happening and does not offer opinions or reveal characters’ inner thoughts.

 

Directions

Reread the account of the rescue from the burning church in chapter 6 and imaging that you are a reporter covering the event. On the Reporters Notepad collect the facts to need to answer the questions who, what, when, where, and why or how. If the facts can’t be found in the story, use your imagination to fill in the details.

 

 

Reporter’s Notepad

 

Who

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

 

Where

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

 

When

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

 

What

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

 

Why or How

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                      

 

 

Directions

Now use your facts to write a newspaper story about the event. Take the third person point of view, using pronouns such as “he,” “she,’ and “they.” Be sure to relate the story in some way to the headline, “Trial By Fire.”

 

 

Trial By Fire