Point of View

The story is written in the third person and the past tense. The narrator functions like an invisible observer in the hair salon. The narration never relates any of the characters’ direct thoughts. Instead, it simply relates the characters’ words and actions as observed in the hair salon. However, the perspective of the story is not simply limited to the hair salon, as Leota and Mrs. Fletcher’s conversations are wide-reaching in terms of content. In terms of the perspective of the story itself, the scope encompasses many events and characters. Many of the story’s important characters—such as Mrs. Pike, Fred, and the petrified man—never even appear in the hair salon. The reader simply learns about them through the women’s conversations.

The story also provides a variety of character perspectives regarding the narrative’s relevant themes and subjects. For example, money...