Point of View

All of the seven stories in the collection are narrated in the third-person limited point of view by an unnamed and traditionally removed narrator. The self-effacing narrator is reliable, articulate, and well informed. The point of view selection is appropriate for the nature of the stories being told and contributes to the fairy-tale or nursery rhyme feel of many of the stories. The tone of the stories requires an even-handed but sympathetic portrayal of the characters, particularly as many of the characters are humorously foolish in their behavior, and such a portrayal is accomplished.

One story, "Grandmother's Tale," has a somewhat more complex point of view. The very short story begins from the typical point of view but, within just a few lines, the grandmother begins to tell a tale to her grandchildren. Her story is not delivered as dialogue and is not set apart, textually...