Point of View

The story is written in the second-person imperative mode, and the perspective is strictly limited to the character of Francie. The form of the story is similar to that of a how-to guide, and the steps of the guide specifically refer to Francie’s own actions. Moreover, the narration often accesses Francie’s emotional interiority, such as when the narration states, “The only happiness you have is writing something new, in the middle of the night, armpits damp, heart pounding, something no one has yet seen” (122). This line of narration directly addresses an internal truth about Francie’s emotional life, both the explicit happiness she feels while writing and the implicit unhappiness she feels in other aspects of her life.

Additionally, the narrative also derives thematic impact from the implicit juxtaposition of opposing character perspectives, for although the narration only bears direct access to Francie...