Point of View

The novel was told from a third person omniscient point of view. In most circumstances, the narrator gave insight into Jean Perdu’s feelings and emotions. The narration was also sprinkled with italicized sentences, which signaled that narration had changed from third person to Jean Perdu. These portions represented Jean’s direct thought process, rather than a third person narrator’s observation of his thoughts.

Some chapters also included entries in Manon’s travel diary. These passages were told completely from Manon’s point of view. They offered insight into Manon’s character and her interpretation of her love affair with Jean Perdu.

Language and Meaning

Through third person omniscient narration, the narrator was able to offered insight into the thoughts and emotions of the characters. As the novel mainly centered around the love story of Jean Perdu and Manon, the novel had a very...