Point of View

The novel is written using a third-person limited narrator that is confined to the protagonist’s perspective. The narration is written in the present tense, which is notable because the novel is essentially structured in a retrospective fashion. The story begins with the protagonist’s death and the proceeds to recount important earlier events from her life. This use of the present tense has the effect of providing a greater sense of immediacy to the various plot points. This immediacy is desirable because one of the main functions of the narrative is to build empathy and sympathy for the protagonist’s hardships. The protagonist faces many tribulations due to racial prejudice, and people often seem to view her as inferior due to her race. Thus, the focus on her own perspective helps to humanize her and create greater understanding and visibility for such injustices.

The...