Saint Maybe | Techniques

Saint Maybe Techniques

The entire novel is written in third person, and Ian's thoughts dominate, but as if to demonstrate that the story is more than Ian's alone, the narrator shifts the focus periodically to other characters. For example, after Danny's death, the focus shifts to Agatha, a nine-year-old who watches her mother deteriorate and tries to make sense of the chaos her own life has become. A later shift to Daphe's thoughts reveals how much the children have grown away from Ian and how Ian needs a new center in his life. This shift prepares the way for Ian's relationship with Rita.