Point of View

Because Seven Empty Houses is a collection of short stories, each of the text’s enclosed works is narrated from a distinct point of view. “None of That” is written from the first person point of view of an unnamed daughter. Throughout the story, the narrator attempts “to figure out why” her mother has had a longtime obsession with going “out to look at other people’s houses” (4). “My Parents and My Children” is written from the protagonist Javier’s first person vantage point. The narrative traces Javier’s attempts to reconcile with his new living conditions following his and his ex-wife Marga’s breakup. “It Happens All the Time in This House” is written from the first person perspective of another unnamed narrator. As with “My Parents and My Children,” the narrative tension of “It Happens All the Time in This House” originates from...