Point of View

The majority of the story is written in first person from Jean's limited point of view. There are, however, some sections that are less limited. For example, Jean goes deaf for a short period and cannot hear anything. During this time, people believe that she's having a religious experience and stop talking to her. She tells of her mother's comments to others during this time and of the attitudes of those in the church regarding her experience—facts that she wouldn't have known because she could not hear any of those conversations.

Jean also tells stories that are not part of her own personal experience. For example, she writes of a fairy tale about a sensitive princess. It's not clear whether her mother told her the story or if she made it up on her own. Either way, it's simply inserted into the book without...