Narrator and point of view

The short story “An Act of Vengeance” by Rosemund J. Handler is a third-person narration. Even though the narrator is outside the plot, the story is conveyed from the point of view of the main character, Pauline: “That big word is one of Madam's favourites, Pauline thinks sourly.” (p. 86, l. 2)

Sometimes, the narrator uses free indirect speech to convey Pauline’s thoughts in the first-person: “Hau! I wish for one day, one day only, she will do my work, and I can lie in her bed and laugh at her and her wonderful job and leftover food” (p. 86, ll. 14-15). The occasional use of the first person and narrating the story from Pauline’s perspective help to construct her characterisation as the main character and encourage readers to relate to her.

Because the narrator only uses Pauline’s point of view, the narrat...