Point of View

Ducks, Newburyport is told predominantly from the first-person narrative perspective of its unnamed protagonist. She is a middle-aged mother of four children who lives in Newcomerstown, Ohio. Her experiences growing up in both America and Britain shape her stream-of-consciousness narration, which focuses on the loving but fraught relationships she shared with her parents. The protagonist often contrasts her upbringing with that of her children, drawing attention to the violence, laziness, and ignorance that characterize contemporary America. These issues are a constant source of concern for the protagonist, who cannot stop worrying about the relentless destruction of her modern nation. Ellmann indicates that this anxiety prevents the protagonist from enjoying life, especially after Ronny attacks her at home and transforms the only space where she felt safe into a constant reminder of fear.

The novel is also interspersed with the first-person narrative perspective of the wild...