POINT of VIEW from the First Day by Edward P

POINT OF VIEW from “The First Day” by Edward P. Jones

Individually, read the passage from the story excerpt handout and then complete the following questions and exercises with your group. With the exception of the highlighting in #2, do all work on your own paper.

1. The passage from “The First Day” is written from the ______point of view.

2. Even though the narrator is describing an event from the past, the writer makes it seem as if the narrator is experiencing the event in the present. Highlight the words in the passage that help to create this effect and briefly explain why they do so.

3. Create a chart like the one below and complete it with evidence from the passage that leads to an inference about the daughter. Write commentary explaining how the evidence leads to the inference. You must have at least three entries.

Evidence Inference – Commentary a) ______-

b) ______-

c) ______-

4. Rewrite the paragraph from an omniscient narrator’s point of view. Change only the words and pronouns necessary to shift the point of view.

5. In what ways does the shift in point of view change your perception of the character?

6. What is lost and/or gained by shifting the point of view? Justify your answer.