Definition: A point of view in which an "I" or "we" serves as the narrator of a piece of fiction. The narrator may be a minor character, observing the action, as the character Nick does in The Great Gatsby, or the main protagonist of the story, such as Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye.
While first person can allow a reader to feel very close to a specific character's point of view, it also limits the reader to that one perspective. The reader can only know what this character knows. Some writers, especially begginning writers, have a tendency to get stuck in first person. It's helpful to at least try writing in third person from time to time.
Examples: Alicia Erian's new novel, Towelhead, is told from the first person point of view.
