Narrator and point of view

The short story “A Fable” by Robert Fox is told by a limited third-person narrator, who is not explicit about the deeper meaning of the story.

The narrator’s limited point of view can be observed, for example, in the fact that the narration does not give us insight into what the girl or her mother feel or think. Instead, their feelings and thoughts are conveyed through dialogue, and readers must figure them out. We are never explicitly told that the girl and her mother believe it is important for a future husband to be well-off financially. However, this is reflected by their questions: “ ‘Do you have a job?’ she said.” (p. 32, l. 10); “ ‘Do you have a car?’ ” (p. 32, l. 45). Moreover, after the young man portrays himself as a future successful businessman, the ...