Point of View

“The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” opens with an introduction by the assumed writer or editor of the novel describing the circumstances that led to its creation. For the remainder of the text, Jane takes the role of narrator and tells her story in the past tense from a first person perspective. The point of view helps the reader feel connected and invested in Jane's story and allows the reader to fully understand her experience.

Setting

The story spans nearly a century and goes from slavery times up through the 1960s. The events take place in the Deep South throughout various parts of Louisiana, with a good portion occurring around Gaines’s familiar setting in the small town of Bayonne.

Language and Meaning

The work uses a mix of formal language and local color. The primary narrative tends to employ mostly standard word usage and...