The Fence
Kai watched the new neighbour's fence go up and saw it as a wall between them. Each board seemed to say, “Keep out.”
Across the yard, the neighbour hammered in the last nail. She felt proud. At last, her dog could play safely.
Grade 8 · English Language Arts · Unit 4 of 12
Whose Story Is It?
Limited, omniscient and unreliable narrators
What your child practises
Recognizing third-person limited and omniscient narrators, spotting clues that a narrator is unreliable, and thinking about how a story would change from another character's point of view.
Alberta Curriculum learning outcome: General Outcome 2 · the narrator and point of view
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
A story is told with I, but the narrator only describes things that happened to other people. What can a reader still learn?
- the narrator's opinions, even when describing others
- every character's thoughts
- nothing about the narrator
- the author's address
Show answer
the narrator's opinions, even when describing others
Hint: First-person narrators always show their own view.
Question 2
What is an unreliable narrator?
- a narrator who never uses the word I
- a narrator who speaks to the reader as you
- a narrator who always knows everything
- a narrator who may not tell the truth or may not understand events accurately
Show answer
a narrator who may not tell the truth or may not understand events accurately
Hint: Readers have to look for clues to decide what is really happening.
Question 3
How does Kai see the fence?
- as a gift
- as something to be proud of
- as a safe place for a dog
- as a wall that says to keep out
Show answer
as a wall that says to keep out
Hint: Look at the first paragraph.
Question 4
Which clue best suggests a narrator is unreliable?
- The narrator tells events in order.
- The narrator describes the setting.
- The narrator's description often contradicts what other characters say and do.
- The narrator uses the word I.
Show answer
The narrator's description often contradicts what other characters say and do.
Hint: If the details do not match the narrator's claims, be suspicious.
Question 5
Why does the narrator show both Kai's and the neighbour's thoughts?
The Fence
Kai watched the new neighbour's fence go up and saw it as a wall between them. Each board seemed to say, “Keep out.”
Across the yard, the neighbour hammered in the last nail. She felt proud. At last, her dog could play safely.
- to prove that Kai is wrong
- to make the story shorter
- to hide the fence from the reader
- to show that one event can mean different things to different people
Show answer
to show that one event can mean different things to different people
Hint: The same fence means a wall to one and safety to the other.
Question 6
What point of view is used?
The Fence
Kai watched the new neighbour's fence go up and saw it as a wall between them. Each board seemed to say, “Keep out.”
Across the yard, the neighbour hammered in the last nail. She felt proud. At last, her dog could play safely.
- first person
- third-person limited
- second person
- third-person omniscient
Show answer
third-person omniscient
Hint: The narrator tells the thoughts of two characters.