Because informational articles are not stories told by a narrator, their point of view isn’t as obvious as that of short stories and novels. However, nonfiction texts still have a point of view—usually third person, which uses pronouns like he, she, and they. See if you can find those pronouns in the second half of this paragraph.
In 1930, the most important immigration document was a Declaration of Intention—or “First Papers,” as some called it. This document declared that the person who signed it had decided to become a United States’ citizen. Besides the immigrant’s place of birth, age, date of arrival, and location of arrival in the U.S., First Papers included a pledge to support the American government. Immigrants were also required to present medical certificates saying that they were in good health, along with a visa—a document issued by the country they were leaving. A visa included information about an immigrant’s birth, their parents and/or children, a previous address, and a photograph. All documents had to be correctly filled out and signed to be approved.
Some informational articles are written in second-person point of view. They use the pronouns you and your. These articles are usually written for an audience that might actually use the information right away. Sometimes, though, the author wants to help readers feel more connected to the people described in the article. What would the paragraph above look and sound like if it were written in second-person point of view?
Regardless of the pronouns they use, informational texts are supposed to be objective. An objective text does not reveal how the writer feels about the article’s topic. It simply states the facts. Reread this paragraph, and look for details that the writer might have an opinion about—but does not include it.
The Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1939, led to even greater restrictions on immigration. This economic downturn forced many U.S. citizens to search for work far from home, and the government decided that the last thing the country needed was more workers from other countries. In addition to these restrictions, immigration officials could also turn down an immigrant at any time, for any reason. By 1930, immigrants to the United States had many obstacles to overcome before they were allowed into the U.S.
Question
Which detail might the writer consider unfair—but not say so?
