Point of View

The novel is told primarily from the third person point of view from the perspective of the protagonist, Lila. The bulk of the novel revolves around her and her struggles in her personal life. All of the other characters have a lot of expectations and needs that must be met, and through the third person telling of Lila’s point of view, Moyes is able to allow the reader to feel the pressure that Lila feels and the impossibility of her situation as she sees it.

There are also numerous chapters devoted to the point of view of Celie as well, also told in the third person. These chapters provide two key insights: first they demonstrate one positive role that Gene plays in the life of the characters: namely that he is able to help Celie through difficult social situations that she does not feel...