Point of View

The Summer Place is told in the third-person point-of-view. While it follows a variety of different narrators, most of the chapters maintain a reflective tone as the characters look back on their lives and regrets. However, there is still some distinction between the characters. Sarah, for example, speaks in extremely long sentences and will occasionally slip into anxiety-driven thoughts that spiral to the end of the paragraph. Eli is constantly in denial, often blaming those around him rather than looking inward. Ronnie is ‌slower-paced as she reaches the end of her life, uncertain if she is leaving the right legacy. These characters have a distinct enough voice that they can be told apart, even as their chapters explore similar concepts and problems.

This point-of-view choice shows how interconnected people can become through shared experiences and worldviews. For example, Sam’s narration reveals someone who struggles...