Narrator and point of view

The events in the short story “Field of Tears” by Declan J Connaughton are told by a third-person narrator. In the first part of the story, the narrator mainly relies on Rita’s perspective. This helps readers understand Rita’s fear of losing her grandfather, as well as her becoming aware of her own mortality. When she talks to her grandfather, Rita is quick to pick up on his feelings, but she does not find out anything new about his past and involvement in the war:

The old man smiled sadly and something in his eyes seemed to reach out and touch her deeply. It was sorrow, she thought, but more than just sadness; there was a hidden anguish, and Rita waited for him to continue. 

The narrative switches perspectives in the second part of the story, during the grandfather’s flashback. This is the moment when the events are described from De Burca’s point of view. The stylistic choice of switching perspectives helps readers have a better understanding of De Burca’s experience during the Irish Civil War, as he was an active part of it. De Burca’s pe...