Narrator and point of view

The short story “Number 40” by Sarah Butler is a third-person narration which follows the point of view of the main character, Melissa.

The third-person narrator is outside the plot, but has access to Melissa’s thoughts and memories. From the first line, it becomes clear that the narrator uses her point of view— “Melissa hated forgetting things.” (l. 1).

Often Melissa’s perspective is conveyed through her thought flow:

They were pale but they looked real: slightly stubby fingers, neatly filed nails, the ring Simon had given her two weeks ago, over an intricate dinner of squid and scallops and king prawns, when she felt desperately sick but didn't have the heart to tell him. Three neat diamonds caught in three gold claws. (ll. 73-76)

Using Melissa’s...