How Narrative Point of View Shapes a Story

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This educational video guides students through the nuances of narrative point of view (POV) within the context of a creative writing "escape room" challenge. The presenter, Justin, explains the fundamental differences between first-person, second-person, and third-person (both limited and omniscient) perspectives, using clear definitions and visual examples involving characters named Julius and Mila. The video uses the metaphor of camera angles to explain how changing the POV alters what a reader sees, feels, and understands. A key portion of the lesson analyzes a passage from F. Scott Fitzgerald's *The Great Gatsby*, demonstrating how the story changes when shifted from Nick Carraway's first-person narration to a third-person omniscient perspective. The video highlights how these shifts impact the information revealed to the reader (such as whether a character is lying), the narrative voice (descriptive vs. straightforward), and the reader's role (listener vs. observer). This deep dive helps students move beyond simple identification of pronouns to understanding the strategic effects of narrative choices. Designed for creative writing and literature classes, this video serves as both an instructional tool and a writing prompt. It includes built-in pause points for students to examine "mentor texts" and engage in rewriting exercises. Teachers can use this video to introduce complex narrative concepts, spark discussions about unreliable narrators, or launch a creative writing workshop where students experiment with rewriting scenes from different perspectives to master narrative voice.