Point of View

The point of view of Mary Poppins is third-person, with the narrator describing both the events as well as the emotions of the main cast of characters comprised of Jane, Michael, and Mary Poppins, as well as John and Barbara to a lesser degree. By using an omniscient narrator, the author allows the reader to alternate in their allegiance to and understanding of each character, for in certain chapters Michael is the main point of focus, for example, while in others it is another character. By putting the reader inside the hearts and minds of the characters while maintaining a degree of neutrality, the narration of the book is extremely accessible, flexible, and clear. The literary merits of this point of view are brought to the forefront in a book like this where each chapter varies in its focus.

When focusing on Jane and Michael...