Point of View

The point of view used in "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel" by Helen Simonson is third person omniscient. This point of view works well in the story as there are several components and underlying factors that would not be revealed otherwise. While the first person point of view might have been interesting when coming from the characters, particularly Major Pettigrew, in his time of confusion regarding his changing life or the excitement of his new relationship with Mrs. Ali, the third person point of view conveys the entire story and not just the subjective opinions of the characters. It also permits the reader to take part in the journey and development of each character in the story.

The point of view used in the story allows the reader to grasp the depth of each character and his/her role in the story. For example, using...