Point of View

The narrative is told entirely from Yunior’s perspective, as the story is written in the first person from Yunior’s point of view. However, as the story is written in the past tense, there is an implication that Yunior is reflecting upon the events of the story. This dynamic is made more prominent at some points in the story, such as when Yunior says in narration, “I didn't mind these summers, wouldn't forget them the way Rafa would” (5). The latter part of this sentence gestures at the years following the main narrative, thereby drawing attention to the story as being structured somewhat like an exercise in reflection. Yunior may be recalling this story as a way of processing some of the trauma he experienced as a child.

Despite the fact that the story is written entirely from Yunior’s perspective, the story is quite...