Point of View

The point of view in That Summer is first person, limited and reliable. This is proven by the fact that Haven, the narrator, knows only her own thoughts and feelings in addition to what she witnesses or is told. She is not privy to others' thoughts and feelings. This point of view is important to the narrative since it focuses on Haven's feelings about the major changes in her life over which she has no control. It also plays a large role in her feelings regarding Sumner since she does not learn that he cheated on her sister until nearly the end of the novel.

This novel is written using mostly exposition with a minimal amount of dialogue which allows the focus to remain on Haven as she analyzes her relationships and her life. The small amount of dialogue serves to support her analyses for the...