Point of View

Good Night, Irene is written from a third-person omniscient point of view, primarily granting access to the internal thought and emotions of Irene Woodward and Dorothy Dunford. The author chooses to employ this lens in order to grant narrative focus to both of the Sisters. At the outset of the narrative, before the women meet, they make solo trips to Washington DC to report for duty with the Red Cross. Irene is running away from her fiancé, “the son of a prominent political family” who had become more abusive as their wedding drew closer (4). Dorothy is volunteering because “she need[s] an escape, a valve to release her helpless anger. She need[s] to take action” (17). By allowing the reader access to both women’s internal frustrations and motivations, Urrea ensures that the reader develops an emotional connection to both characters. As the narrative continues...