Point of View

The point of view for Thérèse Raquin is third person omniscient. This wide lens for story telling works extremely well in a novel with so few characters. The focus changes frequently between Thérèse, Laurent, and Madame Raquin. Early in the novel, Camille's character is also somewhat expanded by focusing the point of view through him as the reader watches him walk to and from work.

The point of view is straightforward and the shifts in focus are easy to follow. The narrator provides details about the environment and the story. However, the power of this point of view lies in presenting the inner workings of the focus characters. The reader learns much about Thérèse, Laurent, and Madame Raquin through the focus on their thoughts, emotions, fears, plans, and memories. These inner character revelations are extremely important to the novel's success...