Point of View

The novel is entirely Erica’s first-person narration, primarily in the present tense but briefly in the past tense as well. The reader thus experiences everything through her perception. Since Erica is limited in terms of development, but keen in terms of observation, it is as if the reader is Erica on Hydra, observing everything objectively. This allows the reader to notice similarities between characters, primarily Charmian and Marianne – the two people whom Erica observes most closely.

Erica is not introspective, and so the reader does not necessarily witness her development as a character. This forces the reader to focus on the development, or lack thereof, of other characters. Through the novel, the reader (via Erica’s first-person narration) sees Charmian trapped in her marriage and unable to write. The reader also sees Marianne actively pursue relationships with men wherein she is subservient. Erica does...