Many students are confused by the difference between the terms

point of view and perspective.

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This is because the terms are often used interchangeably, but they are, in fact, quite different.

 

Point of view is the format of narration, more commonly known as first person point of view or third person point of view. It is the technical choice that the author makes in order to tell the story.

Perspective is shaped by a person’s culture, heritage, physical traits, and personal experiences. Perspective can express a different approach to a well-known event or issue, and provides an opportunity for readers to see things in a new way. Perspective can be strengthened by the author’s choice for the narrator’s point of view, but the two are separate literary concepts. While point of view focuses on the who of a story, perspective focuses on the how.