Point of View

The narrative is written from the first-person point of view from Emma’s perspective. The narration is written in the past tense. The use of first-person narration is fitting as it lends more immediacy and intimacy to Emma’s coming-of-age story. The perspective creates a strong narrative voice for Emma. Readers can directly observe her frustration, her confidence, and her resolve as she moves forward in her journey. The point of view also reinforces the meaning of the title that extends throughout the novel. At first, Emma wants to learn the rest of the story that her mother used to tell her as a child. This story was her mother’s good memories of her life in North Lake. So, the story that Emma wants to learn is the rest of her mother’s story. This includes both the good and bad elements of her...