Point of View

The one hundred short stories included in the volume feature a variety of narrative points of view, though the most common is that of the limited third-person, an entirely effaced narrator common to much short fiction. The scope of the collection, however, includes a variety of points of view, including unlimited third-person and first-person. In general, the point of view selected for a story fits the narrative structure and is used to drive characterization and plot development. When the story focuses nearly entirely on a single character's immediate experiences and development, the point of view selected is usually first-person. For example, "The Rocket Man" is ostensibly narrated by the protagonist who views his parents' relationship and life experiences as he promulgates his own worldview. For this type of story first-person is appropriate and materially advances the narrative structure. On the other hand, "The Small Assassin" could...