Narrator and point of view

The short story “City Lovers” by Nadine Gordimer is told by a third-person narrator.

Even the story is told from a third-person point of view, the narrator sometimes offers subjective comments on the events of the story. For example, the narrator notes that “One advantage, at least, of living in underdeveloped of half-developed countries is that most flats are serviced–resident cleaners come in every day” (p. 40, ll. 17-21). Here, the narrator seems to share Dr von Leinsdorf’s view on living in the flat building as an advantage because is spares him the trouble of doing most chores. However, the narrator might be ironical, reflecting how Dr von Leinsdorf views people from underdeveloped countries as inferior. The narrator also directly intervenes with certain comments or remarks: “He is not married–yet” (p. 40, ll. 16-17).

The...