Analyzing Point of View: Grade 12 ELA

Analyzing Point of View

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. Pay close attention to the narrative perspective and how it shapes your understanding of the events and characters.

The old woman, Mrs. Gable, watched from her kitchen window as the new family moved in next door. A flurry of young faces, bright with an unfamiliar energy, spilled from the minivan. She clutched her mug of lukewarm tea, the porcelain cold against her knuckles. 'Too much noise,' she muttered, though the sound was no more than the distant chirping of crickets. Her own children, grown and scattered, rarely called. A wistful sigh escaped her lips, unnoticed by anyone but the dust motes dancing in the afternoon sun. She saw the youngest boy, perhaps seven, trip on the curb, his laughter echoing across the manicured lawn. Mrs. Gable felt a familiar pang — a mixture of longing and resentment. Why had her life become so quiet, so devoid of such boisterous joy?

1. From what point of view is the passage primarily narrated?

2. The phrase 'unnoticed by anyone but the dust motes dancing in the afternoon sun' primarily serves to highlight:

3. The narrator's access to Mrs. Gable's 'wistful sigh' and 'familiar pang' indicates a   point of view.

4. If the passage were written from the perspective of the youngest boy, the reader's understanding of the move would likely be more focused on   and  .

5. Explain how the chosen point of view affects the reader's sympathy for Mrs. Gable. Provide specific textual evidence to support your answer.

6. The passage would remain equally objective if narrated in the first person by Mrs. Gable.

7. Re-write the first paragraph of the passage from the perspective of the youngest boy moving into the new house. How does this change in point of view alter the tone, focus, and overall impression of the scene?