Although Oneal writes her story in the third person, she is still able to create an intimacy between Carrie and the reader.

We identify with Carrie because we recognize that she fights the same demons many adolescents fight, she just has a much more difficult time conquering them. We know Carrie's fears and her insecurities and we understand the isolation she feels from her family. Her mother and siblings never gain much depth, and her father virtually disappears from the story after the suicide attempt. Perhaps Oneal intentionally underdevelops these characters to convey Carrie's sense of isolation. We never get a clear grasp on the other characters because Carrie herself has trouble identifying with them.

The clash between Carrie and her family is just one of the contrasts Oneal sets up to substantiate the torment Carrie feels in her mind. The Language of Goldfish is full...