Point of View

The author uses a third person point of view. She is telling the story of six people and the way that their worlds collide and changed each participant. Although it is the story of six people, four of the people can be considered one unit. That unit is the Tuck family; they are one unit because they are a family and share a secret, which they do not think anyone should know. They protect it fiercely. Winnie, though only a child, is the second unit. Even her parents have a subordinate role in her story. She discovers the Tuck's secret and in the end, takes it to her grave. The third unit is the stranger who wants to exploit Winnie, the Tucks and the spring for his own gain.

By using the third person narrative, Babbitt is able to give each unit a compelling storyline and...