The narrator

Outer characterisation

The narrator’s outer characterisation in “Gravel” by Alice Munro is very brief. The narrator is most likely a woman, and at the moment of the narration, she is probably an adult. We can deduce this because she goes to see a counsellor (p. 92, l. 2) and her memories of the event at the gravel pit are rather faded (p. 92, l. 31).

In her childhood story, she is younger than 9 and of an age to attend kindergarten (p. 89, l. 30). She is described as wearing a scarf (p. 90, l. 25).

At first, the narrator lives with her mother, father, and sister in a house in a small town. Later, she moves to the countryside with her mother and sister, and they all live in a trailer together with Neal, the mother’s lover.

Inner characterisation

As a very young child, the narrator is rather naïve. When Neal talks about atomic bombs, the narrator does not comprehend the concept and thinks about an atomic bun (p. 87, ll. 34-35). She has a limited understand...