Point of View

The narrative is written in the third-person point of view. It goes into the head of the novel's major characters. This is appropriate, as a first-person point of view from the perspective of any of the major characters would not provide the full story of the Shulman-Rubins, as theirs is a complicated story with people having different views of what makes a good life. For example, Alex thinks he is doing the best thing by keeping quiet when Maya behaves in ways that he does not like. He is trying to show her respect. His behavior, though, drives her crazy. Eugene is also trying to be helpful when he finds the job in the hospital for Maya. She is only happy there, however, because she feels alive compared to the patients. A first-person perspective would lead to an unreliable narrator. In addition, all of the...