Point of View

The author tells the story in the third person point of view. Mostly, the story follows the character of Annie, though much insight also comes form Carl. A few times the author tells the inner thoughts of Dean Darwent.

This point of view works to endear the reader to Annie. The reader sees her struggles, though not always her thoughts about the struggles. In addition, the lack of insight from other characters emphasizes how alone Carl and Annie are. Each time Annie meets a new person, they are also a stranger to the reader.

The author also uses dialogue to tell the story. Annie converses with many of her new friends around the college town at first, and, later, in the town of Lopin. The dialogue and Annie's thoughts give the only insight into the characters and their intentions.

Setting

The story takes place at a...