The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story

by Christopher Castellani

A writer may have a story to tell, a sense of plot, and strong characters, but for all of these to come together some key questions must be answered. What form should the narrator take? An omniscient, invisible force, or one--or more--of the characters? But in what voice, and from what vantage point? How to decide? Avoiding prescriptive instructions or arbitrary rules, Christopher Castellani brilliantly examines the various ways writers have solved the crucial point-of-view problem. By unpacking the narrative strategies at play in the work of writers as different as E. M. Forster, Grace Paley, and Tayeb Salih, among many others, he illustrates how the author's careful manipulation of distance between narrator and character drives the story. An insightful work by an award-winning novelist and the artistic director of GrubStreet, The Art of Perspective is a fascinating discussion on a subject of perpetual interest to any writer.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Crafts, School, Literary Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2016

About the author

Christopher Castellani is the author of five books, most recently the novel Leading Men, for which he received Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, MacDowell, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Leading Men was published by Viking Penguin, and is currently being adapted for film by Peter Spears (Oscar-winning producer of Nomadland) and Searchlight Pictures.

The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story, a collection of essays on point of view in fiction, was published in 2016 by Graywolf Press, and is taught in many creative writing workshops.

His first novel, A Kiss from Maddalena (Algonquin, 2003) won the Massachusetts Book Award; its follow-up, The Saint of Lost Things (Algonquin, 2005), was a BookSense (IndieBound) Notable Book; the final novel in the trilogy, All This Talk of Love (Algonquin, 2013), was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and a finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Literary Award.

Christopher is currently on the faculty and academic board of the Warren Wilson MFA program and the faculty of the Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Since 2019, he has chaired the Writing Panel at YoungArts, aka the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists. For nearly twenty years, Christopher was in executive leadership at GrubStreet, where he founded the Muse and the Marketplace national literary conference and led the development of numerous artistic programs for adults, teens, and seniors. In 2015, he was awarded the Barnes and Noble/Poets & Writers “Writer for Writers” Award in recognition of his contributions to the literary community and his generosity toward fellow writers.

The son of Italian immigrants, Christopher’s work often centers the Italian, Italian-American, and queer experience. He was educated at Swarthmore College, received his Masters in English Literature from Tufts University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Boston University. A native of Wilmington, DE, he now lives in Boston and Provincetown, MA, where he is completing his fifth novel, Last Seen , with the support of a 2024 Literature Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Last Seen will be published in February 2026 by Viking Penguin.

Reviews

[Jennifer nyc · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. “Why don’t we use the word—‘cathect’—more often? It means ‘to invest with mental or emotional energy.’ It’s better than ‘to root for,’ in that it implies an identification with a character, a throwing in of a lot with her. You can’t cathect with her from the sidelines; her heart beats along with yours. But, as we’ll see later, it doesn’t necessarily mean you like her.”

Lately, I’ve been wanting to write. I don’t know that I ever will, between elder care and new babies in the family, trying to live off an art business as well as actually create and complete all the ideas that stir me and keep up socially, it’s hard to imagine carving out the time and integrating a discipline that could take years to complete. Yet there’s a tugging to learn to write a story, just to know from experience what that means.

Castellani packs a lot into this sliver of a book, including stuff I’d cut out about his personal writing. The book starts off with examples of very obvious narrative styles in television works, such as “The Office” and “Arrested Development,” and then goes on to the more complex decisions fiction writers face when choosing their narrative styles. The author uses Forster’s, A Passage to India, which I read, and Howard’s End, which I did not read, and not reading the example made it less impactful. Quite a bit of the book was spent here, and that wasn’t a plus.

On the other hand, Castellani talked about the power of story in an inspiring way, and although really thinking about the narrator adds a layer of work for me, I’m now eager to read Grace Paley’s stories for the first time and apply what I’ve learned. And the author’s analysis of Tim O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried, and Tony Kushner’s, Angels in America, parts I & II, brought new meaning to already loved works.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep going back to this craft book to remind myself that there is no right answer. Only the best answer for now. "A story—a novel, in particular—is an imperfect thing. So in the end, is a narrative strategy, no matter how airtight it appears, how neatly form and content complicate and complement each other."

[Crystal King · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a writer, get this book ASAP. Castellani is brilliant and this book is a serious gem for any writer looking to understand point of view and writing perspective.

[Walter Polashenski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this very thought-provoking. The discussion of some of my favorite novels and stories was a nice addition.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who loves to write, for anyone who loves to read about writing, this book is a pearl. Using a wide range of texts, from E.R. Forster, Nabokov & Dostoyevsky, to Grace Paley, Lorrie Moore and Virginia Woolf (and everything in between), Chris Castellani examines and illuminates choices of narrator, what effect each one has, what makes different perspectives successful or not for different stories, all in a clever and entertaining fashion.

It is a MUST READ for any writer on an essential topic of great storytelling, written by a fabulous storyteller.

[TYLER VANHUYSE · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Cristopher Castellani doesn’t give many answers in this short discussion of perspective and narrative strategy, and in fact, he poses a great deal of almost unanswerable questions. These qualities made the book engaging, though-provoking, but also a bit aimless at times. I gave it 4 stars ultimately because he does delve a great deal first person narrative qualities; why many work; why some don’t; what makes them more likely to succeed, and more. I appreciated that discussion, but it was self serving and if I hadn’t had a sincere interest in that topic, it would have been a little less engaging.

His wisdom on that narrative strategy was interesting, though. He reflected on many first-person narrators that are often considered “unreliable”, the quintessential one being Humber Humbert from Lolita. Castellani makes a compelling case that the single quality that makes all of these first person narrative strategies successful is their dynamism - the narrator’s capacity to engage with witticisms, lyricisms, or seductive language that keeps the reader coming back for more. Because he makes a good point - first person narratives are often more about the psychological study and less about the plot. So it’s important to engage the reader in that psychological study, since the plot takes a backseat. It was an informative thought.

I also appreciated Castellani’s candid nature toward the end of the book, in which he discusses the way that narrowly focused, single stories can do more harm than good; Baldwin’s criticism of Wright’s Bigger Thomas in Native Son resonates with this commentary. Single stories tend toward the stereotypical, and Castellani discusses from his personal experience how that can be a bad path to follow. In his youth, struggling with his identity as a potentially gay man, Castellani speaks to his burgeoning dissociation and the terror it caused in his life. That struggle of identity was Castellani thinking of himself in a single story, without actual interest in his personal identity, in the contours that make his life complex. And his bumps into those guardrails of his single story brought him to struggle and dissociate.

A lot to think about in such a little book. I’d recommend it if you’re grappling with narrative strategy in your own writing, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a light read on the nature of narration.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was taking this book with me everywhere, reading it over breakfasts, at lunch, on the train, thoroughly engaged by just how excited Castellani got about the subject matter - about as far from dry, academic text as you can get, so I’m reading and re-reading, flipping back and forth and skipping around the many different ways to approach Story and how to tell it. And then – and then! Reading on the train, getting off at my stop, barely pausing in my read, the book leaped – leaped! – no, it wasn’t because I had a t-pass in one hand and a cell phone in the other while also juggling the straps of lunch bag, purse and laptop bag, no! – the book darted away, throwing itself in a perfect vertical dive down the narrow gap between train and platform, and was gone forever in the inky darkness, away from me, never to return to my grasping fingers.

So whose story was that? Me or the book? There’s irony for you.

OK, so, To Do list, one, I have to report to the library their book is gone, and two, must buy a new copy for myself.

[Alissa Hattman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for writers considering who tells the story and at what distance. I particularly appreciated that Castellani talks about power and the politics of perspective. His writing is warm and insightful and he provides thoughtful examples on point-of-view from E.M. Foster, Grace Paley, Tayeb Salih, Lorrie Moore, and others. A wonderful craft book.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shows how perspective goes beyond POV. Excellent examples of how writers handle the omniscient narrator in stories, as well as thoughts on why this perspective has gone out of favor.

Didn’t know this was a series edited by Charles Baxter (who wrote The Art of Subtext for this series.) Now I feel compelled to read every book in it.

[Robert Wechsler · Rating 4 out of 5]

a perfect book to get one thinking about the which and how of narration. It answers no questions, which is appropriate to this issue.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

terrific little book for any writers struggling with POV

[Angela Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really helped me think about the nuance of perspective - how the narrator can stand alone, how the narrator can fuse with characters. This is the thing I’ve been struggling with in my novel-in-progress and while I’ve had no epiphanies, I do feel closer to figuring out how this needs to work for these particular characters in this particular project.

[Timons Esaias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to say that the title is a little misleading. I was told to read this as being a POV guide (as research for a POV workshop I'll be teaching), and the title and subtitle (Who Tells the Story) suggest that this is a book on POV, but the real subject is Narrative Strategy.

And yes, narrative strategy is part of POV, the part that is least talked about, so this isn't a Bad Thing.

You will see that I have given this book five stars. If I were judging it as what I bought it for -- a POV guide -- it would get three stars. But once I dropped my expectations and settled in to what it actually is, I was more than happy. What this is, is a lengthy essay on craft, with interesting literary examples. I love good discussions of craft, so this worked for me.

I would not suggest reading this if you're looking for clear advice on POV. Late in the book he admits to not having provided much advice. It has no checklists, no exercises, no charts. Read Rasley or Rosenfeld for that. There's not a lot of discussion of tense, either. But if you're looking for some examples of how POV choices effect the reader, then this is your article.

You'll note that I said "with interesting literary examples" up above, and since most of the people I teach and advise are writing popular fiction more than literary fiction, this is a limitation. Howard's End is a frequent source of the discussion, so you can see that the advice might not be totally au courant. But the general principles he's discussing are fairly timeless.

What he is mostly selling (which he sort of defines on page 21) is what he calls "free indirect style" using Howard's End as a primary example. He will also call this "free indirect discourse." What he means is: Omniscient narration that drops in to Interior POV frequently, including headhopping; and which emphasizes the Internal POV when it's in there. This is a different category from Rasley's "contemporary Omniscient."

Section Five is off-subject. Nothing wrong with it, just it's off subject. A discussion of Grace Paley's The Collected Stories and of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, is certainly related to narrative strategy and POV (sometimes directly), and a discussion of the "single story" versus the "legion story" is worth hearing any time. Using Angels in America as a third example is an excellent choice.

My one peevish remark is that though this is elegantly written for the most part, he is prone to use "they better" and "we better" and like that there.

[Lynne Reeves Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of insight in this special little book. Part of the Graywolf "the art of series" edited by Charles Baxter. Chris Castellani does a terrific job broadening the writer's understanding of point of view.

[Kme_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as a first read. This was an interesting read. This was a small book but was filled with interesting thoughts of way to write better. Definitely gave me interesting thoughts on how to write a story. Recommend this book for anyone interesting in the craft of writing.

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as some of the others in The Art of....series.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting little read. I read it all in one sitting. But that's not to say that there were not some deep thoughts here.
The author uses several works to illustrate the idea of perspective, from Howard's End to The Things They Carried. It is not just point of view, but he talks about narrators and the idea of separating a narrator from an author, breaking the fourth wall, switching point of view, clues to point of view in the text, and how some authors can pull off what John Gardner calls a faux pas.
The decision of WHO tells the story is perhaps one of the most important that an author will make, and this explains very well how this can change even from book to book with the same author. I enjoyed most of the examples, even if I have not read all the works (does anyone teach Faulkner any more?).
Here are a few nuggets that I found to be helpful:
Every narrator becomes the story, and the story becomes him. It is only and always his. p8
Narration is perspective in action. It is the "delivering" of perspective to the reader or listener. p9
If perspective is a way of seeing, and narration is perspective in action, then a narrative strategy is the how and the why of that seeing. p16
Often, an unlikable character "fails" not because he lacks winning qualities, but because he's not a good narrator. Unlikability, then, is the narrative strategy that misfires, if not from the start, then somewhere along the way. p102
The writer's goal is not to derive comfort from the trek across the sea and up the mountain, but to document that view with honesty and integrity once she gets there. In other words, to use the tools of craft to tell the story with as much urgency and insight and style and depth as she can. In that telling is, of course, where the art of perspective lies. p134
... who tells the story is often vulturous. He feeds on misery and complications as much on connection and revelation. She's always looking for the point of entry and the point of no return, the moment of transformation and of (self-)destruction. His honesty can be both ruthless and generous at once. You can't trust him one bit, especially if you believe him. p136
If you are looking for a focused craft book, and you are wrestling or even thinking about point of view or perspective, this might be worth checking out.

Further reading: John Gardner, The Art of Fiction

[M.C. Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful tour of perspective as a literary technique, Castellani’s slender volume argues that there is no perfect point-of-view choice in a literary work. Rather, it’s always a question of the writer’s goal—to locate the individual within the societal, or to immerse the reader within the individual—and whether their narrator(s) support this overarching “narrative strategy.” Ranging from E. M. Forster to Grace Paley, from Lorrie Moore to Faulkner, Castellani reflects on his own struggles as a gay writer to settle on narrators, perspective, and narrative strategy—and examines the political power and responsibility of these choices.

Although he revisits and analyzes some of my favorite authors in rewarding ways, I never quite caught onto his own organizational strategy or figured out why, exactly, these particular works were thrown together in this particular order. A pleasant stroll through works where the narration excels, it ended before it really started getting somewhere.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sophisticated consideration of perspective. I was a little nervous to read another book on reading/writing so close after finishing George Saunders's A SWIM IN A POND IN THE RAIN, since I went so totally gaga for that, but I thought this was excellent too. Castellani doesn't romp around ecstatically pointing out wonders the way Saunders so winningly does, yet his eloquence and insights, too, clearly issue from both heart and mind. Castellani, like Saunders, conveys an openness and modesty that make me all the more glad to learn from him.

I particularly love the beginning chapter, where he considers the very different narrative strategies of two Forster novels, HOWARDS END and A PASSAGE TO INDIA, and then later in the book, I love both his anecdote about Grace Paley, and his celebration of her work.

[Jean Carlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regarding books on writing 'craft,' be they 'how-to' style or a broader appraoch, I never fail to get something from every single one of them if only some little thing that might provide a lightbulb moment in whatever I am currently writing.
Castellani's approach to perspective/narrative styles sites specific novels/stories to demonstrate the power that that choice has in the finished product. And 'choice' it is....pretty deep. Not sure I have that skill at this point but it gives me something to think about.
I have read most of the texts to which he refers, but anyone who is not familiar with them would get less out of it. Even so, it encourages me to go back and take another look at each example since my first reading was certainly not about analyzing narrative/POV choices and it may have been a long time ago.

[Camilla]

I had expectations that this book didn’t quite meet. I wanted a guide, a detailed explanation of each pov choice with examples. This wasn’t that, and the author isn’t at fault, but it simply wasn’t what I was looking for.

The opening story, as an example of different pov takes, is really interesting. But beyond that, the writing read like prose. I found myself constantly needing to reread sections as I zoned out from the cerebral tone.

I’m not sure what my takeaways are. I think I learned that there are many ways to tell a story. While the author seemed to think there are better and more complete ways to do so, I’m not sure I agree. Every POV choice has its benefits and changes the version the reader receives. Anyway, I think the first section is helpful—beyond that it’s primarily passages and quotes the writer favors with his thoughts and opinions on those works.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read; it's basically an essay on perspective and narrative choice. As a baby writer, I was looking for something to help with a POV question. This book doesn't answer questions, doesn't provide guidance. It merely analyzes existing works. There are definitely some nuggets of information in here, and while it didn't have what I needed or wanted, I think it's something that I can return to later down the road when I understand my own writing a little better. I liked what he had to say about stereotypes and feelings around "write what you know." I can see this book being used in a classroom setting or for someone looking to delve deeper into the philosophy of perspective and the distance between reader and character.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short book focusing on narration. I think it's interesting to reflect on who tells stories, and how who tells stories affects the story itself. The author uses literary examples as a way to illustrate different methods of perspective telling, in a helpful manner (you don't have to be familiar with the book he is using to illustrate something, but it is helpful if you are familiar). One of my favorite characteristics is the way the book illustrates how a good story trumps flaws of a morally flawed narrator. If you are interested in writing or human stories, I would spend a weekend reading this book.

[Elizabeth Higginbotham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Art of Perspective by Christopher Castellani gives writers much to think about as he approaches the issue of point of view. Who is the person telling the story? I read three of Castellani’s novels, so I know he can shape a story. The insights are powerful in terms of consider how to approach writing. It is not just first, second or third person, but the voice you selected. It takes work to identify how one wants to share how they see the world. It took a while to read it, but I did finish it during a long plane ride. Castellani uses many examples from familiar and new writers, which means you can read some of the examples.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to recommend one book to read out of The Art of series, Perspective would be a top choice. Castellani wrestles us through a variety of narrative strategies in published works that show “who tells the story” is not always an easy determination. He warns us readers may not know how but will know if a narrator to the story is off kilter. While craft choices are not easy, he also encourages writers to take risks. “The big problem is that, of all the crimes a writer can commit, playing it safe is among the most unforgiveable” (p. 135).

[Quinn da Matta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always struggled with books that tackle the art of writing, that try to dissect and teach the craft because they always read like outdated textbooks. But, this is one of the few that reads—and feels—like a friendly conversation with a successful friend. There are great gems of wisdom and wonderful moments of insight, and it’s all expressed in a very relatable and easy to read, style that made learning about perspective enjoyable.

[Elaine Burnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m Charlie Brown with the writing-craft football, held by whomever said, “You must read this one. It’ll answer all your questions.” This one is supposed to help me with POV and the narrator. Maybe if I had an MFA and had read all the books cited. And can just one craft book please not mention Lolita? It can’t be the only one of its kind. Has no one learned enough from these craft books to write a less creepy Lolita? Though I confess I’ve never read it and don’t plan to.

[Elissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my favorite book on perspective. There is some great discussion of perspective in a Lorrie Moore short story collection midway through, but that's after a really lengthy discussion of E.M. Forster, which, to me, misses the point of more contemporary writing. Perspective is such a vivid and powerful tool for use in 21st century writing, that I think this book misses the mark by not talking about more recent progression in what makes voice powerful in writing today. I was disappointed to not have any/many aha's while reading. It's still a great book, and recommended, but not my top recommendation for this topic.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sometimes humourous, sometimes academic view in the role of narrator and perspective in writing. While geared towards novels and short stories and a little sluggish in the first third, I was pleasantly surprised but the shift to less known literature and plays (Angels In America) in the last bit. A fascinating examination of writing indeed.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Castellani provides here an easily digestible text on point of view that can provide a basis for scholars who engage in literary criticism and creative writers who are interested in having a stronger understanding of their craft. The Art of Perspective’s strength lies in Castellani’s ability to gesture towards narration’s affect on readers.