Point of View

The novel is written from Alexandra's first person point of view. By writing Days of Distraction from Alexandra's perspective, the author is able to access the intimate details of her journey towards self-discovery. The first person perspective also grants the narrative a meta quality. Though the novel is a work of fiction, the main character has the same first name as the author. Like the author, Alexandra is also a writer, and often refers to her ongoing projects. In Part I, "San Francisco," while in bed together, J asks Alexandra what she is working on. She responds: "Documenting our lives. I guess because I don't know what's going to happen next and it's comforting" (15). Placed at the beginning of the novel, this moment suggests a parallel between the author and the narrator's experiences. Later, in Part III, "Ithaca," Alexandra decides that she will write about...