Point of View

Most of this novel is told by a third-person narrator, but there are portions that are told by a pair of first-person narrators. The sections that focus on characters like Emmett, Billy, Woolly, Ulysses, and Pastor John are narrated by a third-person narrator. Consider: “Emmett’s immediate instinct was to say something to his brother that was sensible and dissuasive” (23). In this section of the novel that focuses on Emmett, the narrator calls Emmett by his first name. Emmett also is referred to by the third-person pronouns, he and his. Duchess and Sally, however, narrate their portions of the novel from the first-person point of view. Consider in Duchess’ first section of narration: “I was about to elaborate when I noticed the car” (34). Duchess refers to himself using the first-person pronouns I or me. Consider also Sally’s sections of the novel: “Whom I blame...