Point of View

The story is told from Yunior’s perspective, but this is partially complicated by the fact that the story is written in the second person. The second person seems to imply that Yunior is addressing the reader, but the effect the second person actually creates a narrative dynamic in which Yunior is essentially narrating his own experiences to himself. This dynamic structurally reinforces the recurring theme of Yunior’s sense of alienation. He has difficulty making deep connections with others, as showcased in the story, and the recursive nature of how the story presents perspective draws attention to this insular attribute of Yunior’s character.

The narrative functions to demonstrate the limitations of Yunior’s perspective and the ways in which Yunior exists within those limitations. As a member of an impoverished immigrant family with an even more impoverished origin, Yunior and his family do...