Narrator and point of view
The story “Good Girl” by Marita Conlon-McKenna is told from the point of view of a third-person narrator who has access to Chrissy’s thoughts and feelings. Since the story is told from Chrissy’s perspective, the narrator has limited knowledge of the events.
The other characters are seen through Chrissy’s point of view, and she makes several assumptions about the characters, which may or may not be true. For instance: “They knew that in her mind she was trying to escape them, using her thoughts to protect herself.” (p. 74, ll. 1-3). Also, the impression we get of Ian and Chrissy’s relationship is colored by the feelings she has for him and by how impressed she is with his good manners. Chrissy remains unaware of Ian’s lack of investment in the relationship, which is why she is so hurt when she is told of his rejection of her letter (p. 75, ll. 14-17).
As the narrator has...