Point of View

Cece Bell tells her novel “El Deafo” in the first-person narrative mode, from the point of view of main character, Cece. The novel is semi-autobiographical, so it is only natural that the narrator should be the main character. The main character is a mostly-realistic representation of the author, Cece Bell. The main character and the author share the exact same name to underscore that the novel is semi-autobiographical. The first-person point of view in the novel also allows the reader to share Cece’s innermost thoughts, few of which she ever reveals to any of the other characters. The reader is given a privileged place in Cece’s mind and heart to understand and see and feel things the way that Cece herself feels and sees them.

Language and Meaning

Cece Bell tells her novel “El Deafo” in language that is simple and straightforward. This...