Point of View

The Old Woman with the Knife is written from the third person point of view. Although this third person narrator predominantly follows the life, experiences, and consciousness of the main character Hornclaw, she also possesses omniscient qualities and capabilities. This means that the narrator has access to scenes beyond Hornclaw’s experience, and is able to describe the narrative world outside the insular context of Hornclaw’s psyche.

The reader might refer to the opening section of the novel to better understand the narrator’s scope and reach. The novel begins with the lines: “So this is what it’s like on the subway on Friday nights. You feel grateful to discover space just wide enough to slide a sheet of paper between bodies stuck together like mollusks. You’re bathed in the stench of meat and garlic and alcohol anytime anyone opens their mouth...