Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature Practice Exam

In literary fiction, what does 'point of view' refer to?

1. The sequence of events in a plot.

2. The perspective from which a story is told.

3. The emotional tone of the narrative.

4. The historical context of the literary work.

The correct answer is: The perspective from which a story is told.

'Point of view' refers to the perspective from which a story is told, making it a fundamental aspect of literary fiction. It shapes how readers perceive and understand the narrative, influencing their emotional connection to the characters and events. Different points of view can create varying degrees of distance or intimacy between the narrator and the characters, affecting the way information is revealed and interpreted. For example, a first-person point of view allows readers to experience the thoughts and feelings of a character directly, while a third-person omniscient perspective provides a broader understanding of the story without being limited to a single character's thoughts. Understanding point of view is crucial because it informs how readers engage with the text and influences the overall meaning. The other choices, while related to storytelling, do not encapsulate the definition of 'point of view.' The sequence of events in a plot is about the structure of the story; the emotional tone pertains to the mood and atmosphere created by the author's language; and the historical context deals with the background and circumstances in which the work was created. None of these options pertain specifically to the perspective from which the narrative is shared.