Point of View

The most crucial style element in this novel is perspective. There are two different types of perspectives that Scott utilizes, the first one being first person in the point of view of Maggie Gleason. The novel begins in her voice and the reader meets Mrs. J in this way. Through this perspective the reader receives a better understanding on how Maggie felt and thought in certain situations. This is important because as the novel progresses she becomes one of the primary narrators, which brings us to the second type.

Through Maggie Gleason’s narration, the perspective switches to a third person limited. Maggie is the on telling the stories about Pauline, Kay, Bob, and Robbie for most of the novel. Some of the stories or events she narrates she actually does not have the capacity to know. For example, she never met the Whittakers and...