Point of View

Valdez Quade uses omniscient third person narrator in all of her stories except for Nemecia and The Manzanos where she switches to first person. The narrator follows the main character’s thoughts and feelings throughout each story, not providing the perspective of the other characters involved. Due to this technique, the reader is invested in the main character, following their journey and experience. Their reactions to the people around them are explored and the reader is aware of their belief structures and insecurities. The narrator explains how the main character in each story sees themselves and how they believe others see them. The internal issues they struggle through are revealed by the narrator and the reader follows each one’s personal crisis.

Nemecia is written in the first person, told by a now older Maria looking back on her childhood experiences and family life. Maria...