Narrator and point of view

The short story “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro is told by a first person-narrator who is also the main character.

The narrator remembers events which happened when she was a child, and which had a big impact on her. However, the narrator analyzes these events with the clarity of judgement and experience of an adult. Therefore, the account mingles the child’s memories of the events with the adult perspective on them. For instance, “ ‘Never mind’, the father said. He spoke with resignation, even good humour the words which absolved and dismissed me for good” (p. 11, ll. 5-6). The adult narrator now has a mature perspective about her father’s words and understands what they meant for her. 

The adult narrator seems to remember some of the events on the spot, giving the account an oral feel, as if the narrator was talking to her r...