Point of View

Jacob Have I Loved is written in first-person, past tense point of view from Louise Bradshaw’s perspective. In the narration, an adult Louise looks back on her childhood and comments on it. The opening section, “Rass Island,” gives the day-dreamy effect of a nostalgic adult looking back at their childhood, which signals to the reader that Louise is now older and wiser. This perspective sheds light on many of the emotional scenes in the novel, giving them deeper meaning and stronger resonance. Louise is able to comment on her coming-of-age, and to assess her childhood with adult eyes.

Readers are given complete access to the inner thoughts and feelings of Louise herself, but can only learn what other characters are thinking when they specifically articulate them to her. This provides wonderful tension in the relationship between Louise and Caroline, as the reader can only...