Point of View

Each of the short stories in the collection is written from a distinct point of view and follows its own formal rules. “Manifest,” is written from the second-person point of view. “Breastmilk” is written from the first-person point of view. “Contributions” is written from the first-person-plural point of view. “The Hollow” is written from the third-person point of view. Both “Imagine Me Carrying You” and “24, Alhaji Williams Street” are written from the first-person point of view. Both “Things Boys Do” and “Birdwoman” are written from the third-person point of view. “Girlie” is written from the first-person point of view, and the final three stories, “The Wonders of the World,” “The Dusk Market,” and “Masquerade Season” are all written from the third-person point of view.

The stories written from the first-person point of view enact the main characters’ desire for autonomy and control. In “Breastmilk,” “Imagine...