Point of View

Ask Again, Yes uses a third-person omniscient narrator who has access to all of the characters thoughts and feelings. The omniscient narrator does not remain a consistent distance from the characters in the novel and, instead, moves in and out of intimacy with different characters. Generally, chapters are narrated close to one or two characters' perspectives, but not always. This allows the narrative stance to reveal the varied thoughts and feelings of all of the main characters in the novel.

For example, narrating close to Anne Stanhope's point of view helps readers understand what she was thinking the night she shot Francis Gleeson and helps readers see what she went through when she was committed to a mental institution. While Anne often seems cruel and nonsensical to other characters in the novel, when the narrative stance moves close to her readers are better able to...