Point of View

The point-of-view of the novel is first person, limited omniscience narration, told from Sarny’s perspective. The point-of-view is reliable, as Sarny does not have the education or the motivation to manipulate the audience. This point of view is important to the novel so the reader can be given access into Sarny’s thoughts and emotions, particularly because she is usually silent and wouldn’t be given the opportunity to voice her feelings aloud. Through her thoughts, the reader learns about Sarny herself and the plantation, including the tension between slaves and master. The main conflict of the novel occurs on Sarny’s journey to read, and her thoughts help create a deeper understanding of slavery during the 18th century. The story is told mostly through exposition with scenes of dialogue. It is completely filtered through Sarny’s thoughts and emotions. As a result, the...