Point of View

The story is told from the first-person point of view of Jennifer. The character of Jen is based on Anne Lamott herself, and so she tells her story in an open, conversational way. Jen is eccentric, and so is her storytelling style. Jen does not tell her story in strict chronological order. Instead, she places everything in the present, telling about events as they unfold. Any events that take place outside the three or four months that the book covers, Jen relates as though she is casually telling a story, perhaps to a close friend. In these reminiscences, she often comments on things she has learned since those events, or mentions whether or not she regrets them. She tends to introduce characters and events by thematic association. In her narration, Jen does not know what will happen next, or what any of the other characters are...