Why is Perspective so Important in Writing?
When we write, we must always keep one essential factor in mind: perpective. We must never deviate or stray from it because it, in turn, influences all other aspects of our work. Depending on whose perspective we are writing from, the audience’s perception of what we’re conveying can vary.
Hello, Timmy, this is a topic that took me some time to come to terms with, to truly understand. It’s easy to get caught up in numerous tiny details and lose sight of this fundamental point—how things are perceived.
In life, many things are a matter of perspective, which is the difference between being optimistic and pessimistic, for example (though it’s more intricate than that, we won’t dive into details here as it would veer off-topic). But perspective goes beyond that; it sets the tone, the mood, and how characters perceive their world. Unfortunately, not many authors take it into account, which is a shame. Most of us focus on times, settings, ideas, the clichés and tropes of a genre, and the genre itself.
We often forget that the purpose of writing, in all forms of fiction (and most media is rooted in writing), is to express the vast range of the human condition in all its diverse identities. So we cricle back to perspective, keeping it into mind while we work is so powerful and can open up possibilities that you could have never considered. What is that Timmy, you need examples?
Consider, for example, the manga “Zoom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.” by Haro Aso. Yes, it’s a zombie manga, a Japanese comic (I understand the difference between manga and comics, but let’s keep things clear). Instead of dwelling on the usual drama, survival, or grim and gritty themes, it turns the concept upside down and adopts a jovial tone. The characters, in the face of a horrifying and depressing world, remain vibrant and full of life. The animated adaptation even uses bright and lively colors to convey this unique perspective. The power of perspective is nearly limitless.
“What’s that, Timmy?” You’re wondering if this approach can work for anything? Well, let me give you another example:
“Life is Beautiful,” an Italian comedy-drama film directed and starring Roberto Benigni. What’s so remarkable about it, you ask? Well, for one, it’s a comedy set in the midst of the Holocaust. Offended, you say? It might be offensive if it weren’t executed so masterfully. The film’s perspective comes from the main character, Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookstore owner who uses his imagination and creativity to shield his son from the horrors that surround them. It doesn’t shield the audience one bit; we are fully aware of what is happening. However, within the confines of the narrative and its main characters, the tone is, at least for Guido’s child, jovial, perhaps a little peculiar, but certainly jovial. By the end (spoilers?), the child is left with surprisingly little emotional scarring from the ordeal. The film manages to balance its tone marvelously, but that’s a topic for another day.
“What’s that, Timmy? You want an example from a novel? Well, that’s a challenge indeed. Novel authors often miss the point, but I have one for you: “The Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin. It’s perhaps one of the best science fiction novels written in the last 10 years. While it delves into many topics, the perspective is one of horror, as if reality itself is unraveling around the protagonist. I won’t spoil anything about it. I cannot stress this enough; the author manages perspective masterfully. We know just as much as the characters, which translates to what we don’t know terrifies us as much as it terrifies them. Here, you can witness the power of perspective. Liu Cixin could have easily succumbed to the temptation of overwhelming us with technobabble or dazzling spectacle. Instead, he kept most of his cards close to his chest, infusing horror into his science fiction novel.
But enough name-dropping to make a point. Let me give you an example of unintended perspective, Timmy: “Avatar: The Way of Water” by James Cameron.”
Remember the first “Avatar” movie, right? No? Well, I can’t blame you. Why is that? Well, there are several reasons, but they’re beyond the scope of this article (wink, wink, future entry?). Suffice to say, it fell into the trap of dazzling us with shiny things while serving up a paper-thin plot and cardboard characters. Ironically, the villain seemed to possess more depth and nuance than the rest of the cast. But I digress. The point I want to make is that between the first “Avatar” movie and the second, something shifted in the minds of the viewers. They now see the main “villain,” Quaritch, as the hero and view Jack Sully as the villain, a betrayer of his kind. This transformation truly deserves its own case study, but for now, you should be aware that the movie goes to great lengths to demonize humanity. It spares no expense and has very few limits. Yet, the audience cannot help but have the opposite perspective from the creators.
I hope you now have at least a basic grasp of the importance and power of perspective in writing, Timmy. But how is it applied, you ask? Well, that depends. It first depends on you and then on who the characters are. In “Zoom 100,” the main character, Akira Tendou, was essentially dead inside before the apocalypse hit. In “Life is Beautiful,” it’s established early that the main character, Guido, is quick, resourceful, and never gives up against insurmountable odds. In “The Three-Body Problem,” it’s a matter of ignorance about what’s happening on the part of the character (and the audience). In the case of “Avatar,” it’s something entirely out of control for the creator.
Perspective, where you’re coming from and where your characters are coming from, is something you should always keep in mind and maintain consistency while you work. Few writers can successfully shift the tone and perspective mid-novel. And then there’s Carlos Ruiz Zafon, a man for whom I have nothing but respect.
