Point of View

The point of view of Motherthing is almost entirely first-person, from the perspective of Abby. Abby starts off the novel attempting to help her husband, Ralph, through his mother's suicide. The reader gets a full view of Abby's psychology because of the first-person perspective. She starts out acting kindly toward Ralph, clearly very concerned for his well-being even though she occasionally will think something that seems callous. The reader is also privy to the fact that Abby steals a ring off of Laura's dying body, something Ralph never actually learns throughout the novel, but it lends a new perspective to Abby's actions and thoughts knowing what she is capable of.

As the novel progresses, Abby's own mental health takes a rapid and drastic downswing as she buckles under the expectations of society and the ongoing grief of her husband. The first-person perspective allows the reader...