Point of View

The author does not use narration in his play. Every character's point of view is conveyed through dialogue, action, or body language. However, as the protagonist, Catherine's point of view is central to the play. The dialogue is slanted to make her the focus of nearly every conversation. She is present in every scene except one, in which Hal and her sister, Claire, discuss her in her absence. And yet, although the play is about Catherine's point of view, the author uses various tricks to make the audience wonder if Catherine's point of view is sound, or if she is actually as crazy as her father.

David Auburn's primary method of instilling doubt in the audience is through the timing which he uses to reveal Catherine's story. All of the things that have gone before are unknown to the audience as the play opens. Auburn instills...