DEFINITION:
Identifying Point of View (POV) is an attempt at establishing an author’s bias and/or motivation within a primary source. Clarifying an author’s logic in his/her opinions is a form of high level analysis.
SOME METHODS OF IDENTIFYING POINT OF VIEW:
Political ideology, Class, Race, Religion, Nationality, Profession, Gender
POV is NOT:
An author’s opinion.
INCORRECT:
“Robespierre’s point of view was that terror could accomplish great things.”
POV IS:
An explanation of WHY an author had that opinion.
ACCEPTABLE POV:
“Robespiere, believed that terror could accomplish great things. He had that point of view because he was amember of the radical Jacobin club.”
BETTER POV:
“Robespierre, with the opinion of the typical radical Jacobin, believed that terror couldlead to great things.”
BEST POV:
“Robespierre’s membership of the radical Jacobin society led him to believe that terror could accomplish great things.”
SOPHISTICATED POV:
“The opinions of the Jacobins were profoundly rtadical. For example, Robespierre was clearly influenced by these views to believe that terror could be beneficial.”
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