Point of View

This story has a third-person omniscient narrator, and it is written in past tense. The omniscient narrator supplements the atmosphere of distance and lack of personality that pervades the story. Moreover, omniscient narrators have the ability to delve into the characters’ emotions and thoughts, but this is rarely done. One rare example of this is when the young black man looks “at the girl in rage” (101). For the majority of the story, the narrator does not reveal the thoughts and emotions of the characters. This example is rare, and the description of the character’s emotions is not extensive. Therefore, the fact that the narrator barely explores even the protagonist’s thoughts and emotions creates distance between the reader and the characters.

Furthermore, The trailer park is first introduced as an isolated residence where nobody speaks to each other very often. The omniscient narrator gives...