Point of View

The Rent Collector is written from Sang Ly's first person point of view. Sang Ly's perspective allows the author to explore the exchange between the individual's internal and external experience. As Sang Ly learns about literature, the reader witnesses the ways in which the stories of other shape her personal narrative, to gain universality through her distinct voice and lens. If the novel were told from another point of view, Sang Ly's story would feel less particular, and the author would have fewer opportunities to prove the that "The most difficult battles in life are those we fight within" (1).

Sang Ly's first person point of view also allows the reader to experience her unique perspective with immediacy. The reader believes the dimensions of her world, of her outlook, because she is immersed in Sang Ly's voice. As Sang Ly grows intellectually and emotionally, her narrative...