Point of View

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is written in the past tense using the first person point of view. The narration is from the perspective of Aven, a young girl who was born without arms. The use of the first person point of view allows the audience a deeper window into her inner world, thereby illuminating her struggle for self-acceptance and friendship. These struggles mirror the struggles of most humans, only slightly exaggerated because of her extreme circumstances.

The first person point of view’s utilization of “I,” “me,” “mine” enables the reader to inhabit the experience of Aven more fully, and thereby connect with her emotionally in a way that would not be possible in second or third person narration. This point of view also causes the novel to read more like a journal or a memoir, thereby nakedly displaying Aven’s...