Point of View

Social Creature is told from a third-person perspective, mainly from Louise’s point of view. However, the narrator clearly has their own voice and opinions, and sometimes speaks directly to the reader. For instance, the narrator notes that, in response to Lavinia calling Louise special, “Louise isn’t special. She knows this. We know this” (12). By saying “we”, the narrator creates a sense of uncomfortable camaraderie between themselves and the reader. Another instance of this in the first chapter, when the narrator says “Louise has never had one of those nights before. Don’t worry. She will” (15). Later, the narrator directly addresses the reader when discussing Louise’s old lovers, saying “They did this, you understand, because they were stupid” (57). In addition to this, the narrator frequently uses parentheticals as asides, though it is unclear if these asides come from Louise herself or the narrator...