Point of View

"A Primer for the Punctuation of Heart Disease" is written from the first person perspective. It is narrated by a speaker, also named Jonathan, who curates a compilation of punctuation marks to help translate his family's conversations into writing. Although most of the examples of dialogue involve the speaker, there are some that take place between members of his family without his presence. A conversation between his parents, for example, helps illustrate the efficacy of the "corroboration mark," in which his father tacitly agrees with everything his mother says. In this way, while the story is deeply personal, the perspective can often take on an omniscient point of view. The speaker comes to embody the role of spokesperson for his family – likely by virtue of being a writer – and thus speculates as to each of his family members' personalities and modes of communication.

Language and Meaning