Point of View

The point of view of His Only Wife is first person singular, exclusively through the eyes and feelings of Afi Tekple, who narrates the novel and is also the protagonist. Afi’s viewpoint is the most significant, as she is the protagonist, and is involved in every event that takes place within the novel. Afi’s point of view recounts the novel’s events while also including her own reflections, impressions, and memories. The audience is totally limited to Afi’s view of the world around her and the people within it. Afi’s first-person perspective provides insight on how she was manipulated by the Ganyos, creating empathy for her character by the audience.

Afi’s perspective changes as her character grows and develops. She begins the novel as a naïve 21-year-old woman who accepts the information of those around her who she has...