Comment on perspective.

"My Journey to Lhasa" is a first-person account of David-Neel's secret journey into the interior of Tibet, told from her own personal experience. Her primary perspective is as an educated western explorer describing a largely unknown Asian culture and geographical region to a western readership.

David-Neel has a profound respect for Tibet and its people and has devoted much of her life in studying Tibetan culture and observing Tibetan Buddhism. Required to live among the Tibetans and pass for one of them during her journey, David-Neel is able to observe the culture very closely and describe it vividly for western readers.

David-Neel intentionally avoids bringing a political perspective to her narrative, claiming she wants nothing to do with politics. She cannot avoid the subject completely, however, since it is the political situation that requires her to hide from the Tibetan government officials. She also does not hesitate to mention where the government's actions result in unfair treatment.

As an observer of Buddhism, David-Neel brings the perspective of a fellow follower to her description of the various rituals and observances of the Tibetans. But she is also a practical person who does not share in what she considers simply superstitious beliefs. She finds these beliefs amusing at times, and sometimes uses them to her advantage to escape trouble, but she is generally respectful of the beliefs of the Tibetan people.