Point of View

The point of view used in Transformations by Anne Sexton varies from story to story. The majority of the stories are in third person omniscient, giving the reader an overall picture of the story as well as the motives of the characters. In others, the majority of the text is in third person omniscient but Sexton interjects a narrative style or comment that is written in the first person. In a few of the poems, Sexton writes in first person.

In The Gold Key, the only poem written entirely in first person, Sexton gives an explanation of looking through a keyhole in order to find the answers.

Third Person Omniscient:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

The Little Peasant

Godfather Death

Rapunzel

Cinderella

One-Eye, Two-Eyes, Three-Eyes

The Maiden Without Hands

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Hansel and Gretel

Combination of points of View:

The White Snake

Rumpelstiltskin...