: What really is Second person view?

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I’ve seen first person view, I’ve seen third person view, but never second person.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Hi there! English teacher here.

Recipes and instructions are almost always written in 2nd person point of view. 2nd person is YOU, the reader, and the directions are asking you to do them.

Consider this example: “First, [you] mix the flour, sugar, and spices in a bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, [you] stir together the eggs, butter, and brown sugar. [You] combine all the ingredients well. [You] pour into a greased pan and [you] bake for 40 minutes until done.”

The “you” is normally missing from the directions, but it is still there, hidden. We call this “command” form, and the missing subject “you” is called the “understood ‘you.'”

Other works, like the classic “Choose Your Own Adventure” series, are also in 2nd POV. You, the reader, are the protagonist, and you get to make choices about what happens by flipping to different sections of the book. It’s not a super common POV for a narrative, though. (It’s a little gimmicky.)

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