Point of View

The point of view of the novel is third person, but from the perspective of the main character, Much-Afraid. Although it is mainly told from the perspective of one character, the author keeps the verbiage formal and distant, even when describing emotions, . The only time the point of view strays from this format is at limited, brief intervals in which the author details the plans of Much-Afraid's Fearing relatives back in the Valley of Humiliation. This perspective is important to the novel because the plot is driven by the idea that Much-Afraid is changing into an entirely different being, so her thoughts and feelings are integral to understanding the story. The story divides itself into rather equal parts of exposition and dialogue, and both methods are important because Much-Afraid's thoughts and feelings often refer back to dialogue between her and the Shepherd. Much-Afraid is rarely alone...