Point of View

Ana is the novel’s protagonist and narrator, which means that the story is consistently told through her perspective, experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Ana narrates the novel in the first person and the present tense. There are a few exceptions to this perspectival mode, when the narrative briefly departs from Ana’s perspective to exposit upon the experiences of other characters, but these departures are few and brief. A notable element about the narration’s use of present tense is that it helps to emphasize a sense of immediacy despite the fact that the story takes place in the 1960s. One of the main functions of the novel is to depict historical and sociopolitical phenomena on a scale that is individual and personal while also being applicable to the many people who underwent experiences similar to Ana’s.

The nuances of Ana’s perspective help...