Point of View

The novel is told from two points of view, both in the first person: the nurse and Lizzie. Accordingly, the tone and language used with each voice varies as the narrator shifts. The nurse provides context for Lizzie’s storytelling and widens the scope of the novel by connecting its message to the present day. Lizzie, in contrast, is the driving force behind the narrative and is responsible for the majority of the plot. Lizzie’s section of the novel is told in the first person logistically: she is narrating the story, so the first-person perspective represents her dialogue. The nurse’s first person section thus lends consistency to the novel and is typical of the frame-story structure.

Language and Meaning

Morpurgo generally utilizes language that is consistent with Lizzie’s personal speaking and storytelling style. He frequently includes asides that reference the audience, such...