Name
PANCAKES
Date
FIRST-PERSON POINT OF VIEW
“Pancakes” is told from the first-person point of view. The narrator is a character in the story, and events are
described as the narrator experiences them. When a story is told from the third-person point of view, the narrator is a voice outside of the story. In the third-person omniscient point of view, the narrator knows the
thoughts and feelings of all the characters in a story.
Directions: In the first column of this chart, write the first person point of view comments that Jill makes
about her life. Be sure to include a direct quote from the story with the line numbers. In the second column,
rewrite these comments in the third-person point of view. Then explain how this shift in point of view affects
your understanding of the story.
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Effect of the Point of View Shift
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty The first-person POV gives the
(line 9)
mirror.
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the
bonnet, but when you’re going for
the ye old look, you have to sacrifice style.” (line 50)
“It’s not like my life had been all
that perfect.” (line 72)
“I always turned in a spectacular
performance and people counted
on me to do it.” (line 82)
“I could see myself watching my
station like a hawk, keeping the
coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables.”
(line 111)
Based on Jill’s comments and those same comments from the point of view of a third-person narrator, do you
think a third-person narrator would have given a more accurate picture of the events in the story? Why or why
not?
__
1st Block
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty
(line 9)
mirror.
Effect of the Point of View Shift
“It’s not like my life had been all Jill’s life was not all that perfect.
that perfect.” (line 72)
The first person point of view
makes the reader feel for Jill as a
character because she is giving
them insight into her personal
thoughts.
The first person point of view
shows that she thinks she is perfect and does not need to change.
This sets up the conflict for the
rest of the story.
The first person POV is more effective at showing the reader how
seriously Jill takes her job. She
wants to be perfect for the customers.
The first-person POV gives the
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the Jill could have done without the First person POV gives us more
bonnet, but when you’re going for bonnet but when she was going insight into Jill as a character. We
the ye old look, you have to sacri- for the ye old look she had to sacri- get a sense of her sarcastic voice.
fice style.” (line 50)
fice style
“I always turned in a spectacular She was always trying to be perperformance and people counted fect and trying to please people.
on me to do it.” (line 82)
“I could see myself watching my
station like a hawk, keeping the
coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables.”
(line 111)
“It was natural selection. I was as
good as dead.” (line 158)
Jill was trying to be on time and
watching carefully making sure
every customer was treated to perfection.
2nd Block
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty
(line 9)
mirror.
Effect of the Point of View Shift
“It’s not like my life had been all Jill life wasn’t all that perfect.
that perfect.” (line 72)
The First P.O.V Tells us how Jill
is feeling about her life And that it
isn’t perfect and that she has her
days. This POV makes the reader
more sympathetic to Jill as a character.
The third person POV shows that
Jill believes that people counted
on her for a good performance,
while the first person POV makes
it seems like she is always perfect
when that might not be the case.
The first person POV lets the
reader know more about jil’ls
sense of timing. It shows that she
wants everything done right
The first-person POV gives the
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the “Jill could have done without the The third person gave you a better
bonnet, but when you’re going for bonnet, but when you’re going for outside look on it than the 1st perthe ye old look, you have to sacri- the ye ole look, you have to sacri- son where she is just telling you.
fice style.” (line 50)
fice style.”
“I always turned in a spectacular Jill thought that she always turned
performance and people counted spectacular performance and peoon me to do it.” (line 82)
ple counted on her to do it
“I could see myself watching my Jill paid attention to her station
station like a hawk, keeping the making sure that everything was
coffee brewing, getting the pan- done right
cakes delivered hot to the tables.”
(line 111)
“It was natural selection. I was as
good as dead.” (line 158)
4th Block
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty
(line 9)
mirror.
Effect of the Point of View Shift
The first-person POV gives the
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the Jill could have done without the The first person POV tells the
bonnet, but when you’re going for bonnet.
reader about Jill’s personality.
the ye old look, you have to sacrifice style.” (line 50)
She did not have to have the bonnet, but she had to sacrifice style.
“It’s not like my life had been all It’s not like her life had been all The first person POV creates
that perfect.” (line 72)
that perfect.
more sympathy for Jill’s character
because the reader feels for her on
a personal level.
“I always turned in a spectacular She wanted everything to be per- The first person POV shows that
performance and people counted fect.
Jill is biased; she thinks she is
on me to do it.” (line 82)
perfect but other people might not
agree.
She thought she was a good performer and people always wanted
her to perform
“I could see myself watching my Jill could see herself watching her There is not much of a shift.
station like a hawk, keeping the station like a hawk, keeping the
coffee brewing, getting the pan- coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables.” cakes delivered hot to the tables.
(line 111)
“It was natural selection. I was as The natural selection left Jill as First person POV helps the reader
good as dead.” (line 158)
good as dead.
understand Jill’s feelings more
clearly.
5th Block
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty
(line 9)
mirror.
Effect of the Point of View Shift
“It’s not like my life had been all Her life wasn’t all perfect.
that perfect.” (line 72)
The first person POV makes the
reader feel more sympathy for Jill.
The first-person POV gives the
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the Jill would have to sacrifice style The first person POV gives the
bonnet, but when you’re going for with her bonnet for the ye old look. reader a detailed description of
the ye old look, yofu have to sacriwhat Jill had to go through at her
fice style.” (line 50)
job.
It’s not life Jill’s life had been all
that perfect.
“I always turned in a spectacular Jill always turned her performance The first person POV is a little
performance and people counted in to something spectacular and biased. Jill thinks she is perfect,
on me to do it.” (line 82)
people counted on her to do it.
but that does not mean other people see her that way.
“I could see myself watching my
station like a hawk, keeping the
coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables.”
(line 111)
Jill could see herself watching her There is not much of a shift.
station like a hawk, brewing coffee, getting the pancakes delivered
hot to the tables.
“It was natural selection. I was as Jill didn’t think she could handle The first person POV creates a
good as dead.” (line 158)
the tourists coming in the restau- more intense atmosphere. Jill
rant.
feels like this job is going to kill
her.
Jill was as good as dead.
8th Block
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty
(line 9)
mirror.
Effect of the Point of View Shift
The first-person POV gives the
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the Jill could have done without the The first person POV gives you
bonnet, but when you’re going for bonnet but when you’re going for more insight into Jill’s character
the ye old look, you have to sacri- the ye old look you have to sacri- and lets the reader see her sense
fice style.” (line 50)
fice style.
of humor.
Jill didn’t like the bonnet, but she
would wear it if she had to.
“It’s not like my life had been all It’s not like her life had been all The first POV helps the reader
that perfect.” (line 72)
that perfect.
feel sympathy for Jill.
Her life had not been all that perfect.
“I always turned in a spectacular Jill always turned in a spectacular
performance and people counted performance and people counted
on me to do it.” (line 82)
on her to do it.
“I could see myself watching my
station like a hawk, keeping the
coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables.”
(line 111)
Jill felt as if everybody relied on
her and got tired of everyone relying on her.
Jill was watching her station like a
hawk, keeping the coffee brewing,
getting the pancakes delivered hot
to the tables.
“It was natural selection. I was as The situation Jill was in didn’t
good as dead.” (line 158)
look good.
Jill said, “It was natural selection. I
was as good as dead.”
9th Block
First-Person Point of View
Third-Person Point of View
Comments
Comments
“Dirty mirrors drove me crazy.” Jill did not like the sight of a dirty
(line 9)
mirror.
Effect of the Point of View Shift
The first-person POV gives the
reader more insight into Jill’s
emotional reaction to the mirror.
It clearly shows how Jill’s perfectionism impacts her daily life.
“I could have done without the Jill would rather not wear the bon- The first person POV lets the
bonnet, but when you’re going for net, but she had to have the ye old reader see Jill’s personality.
the ye old look, you have to sacri- look.
fice style.” (line 50)
Jill could have done without the
bonnet, but when Jill is going for
the ye old look, she had to sacrifice
style
“It’s not like my life had been all Jill said her life wasn’t all that per- The first person POV makes the
that perfect.” (line 72)
fect.
reader feel more sympathy for Jill.
It’s not like her life had been all
that perfect.
“I always turned in a spectacular People counted on Jill to give a The first person POV is biased, it
performance and people counted good performance
is how Jill thinks other people see
on me to do it.” (line 82)
her.
“I could see myself watching my
station like a hawk, keeping the
coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables.”
(line 111)
Jill always did a good job at work
and people counted on her.
Jill was watching her station like a There is not much of a shift.
hawk, keeping her coffee brewing,
getting the pancakes delivered hot
to the tables
Jill could see herself watching her
station like a hawk, keeping her
coffee brewing, getting the pancakes delivered hot to the tables
“It was natural selection. I was as It was natural selection for her. She The first person POV is more ingood as dead.” (line 158)
was as good as dead.
tense.