Point of View

Laura Ingalls Wilder tells her novel “On the Banks of Plum Creek” from the third-person limited-omniscient perspective in a reflective manner as though the narrator were relating a past story or family history to a good friend. The third-person narrator traces the life of Laura Ingalls from the age of seven through the age of eight. The third-person narrative mode allows the narrator to take opportunities as the plot unfolds in order to explain certain things to the reader. For example, when Laura and her family first come to Plum Creek, the reason why is not readily revealed. Only the narrator, reflecting on Pa’s search for a landowner willing to trade a homestead for a wagon team, is able to fill in the gap. The limited-omniscient aspect of the narrative adds a sense of suspense and drama to the novel, denying the reader knowledge...