Point of View

"Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez is written in the first-person objective and present tense from a girl who is turning twelve years old. The young girl lives in the Dominican Republic, but she attends an American school. Hence she is familiar with both cultures. Since the story is written in an objective viewpoint, the reader sees events as they unfold. Since it is written in the first-person, the reader also gets insight into how it feels dealing with the different situations that arise at home and politically. This creates a personal connection between the reader and the main character. Events in the past are brought to light to the reader when the main character reminisces previous events. The only glimpse into what might occur in the future comes from prophecies from the nanny who has a knack for seeing the future. She talks in...