Final answer:
Point of view refers to the narrative perspective, often categorized as first person, second person, or third person, which can be limited or omniscient. It shapes the reader's experience by affecting how the story is perceived and related.
Step-by-step explanation:
The point of view in a narrative is the perspective through which the story is told. This perspective is critical because it shapes how readers view characters, events, and the overall storyline. The narrator can convey the story using different points of view, such as first person, using pronouns like 'I' and 'me', which makes the narrative intimate and personal as the reader sees the events through the eyes of the narrator. The second person point of view uses the pronoun 'you', making the reader feel directly addressed or involved in the action.
Most commonly, narratives use the third person point of view, where the story is told by a narrator who is not a character within the story. This can either be a limited point of view, focusing on just one character's thoughts and experiences, or an omniscient point of view, where the narrator knows all the thoughts and actions of every character. The choice of point of view affects the reliability and objectivity of the story, as well as the reader's connection to the characters and events.