Narrative technique
The events described in the short story “Neutral Buoyancy” by J. R. McConvey are told by a third-person narrator who is limited to Jetta.
The narrative follows Jetta and is strongly connected with her thoughts and feelings. Right from the first lines, readers notice that Jetta’s colorful language affects the narration. She internally mocks the other people in the pool calling them “Kielbasa Joe” (l. 2), “Doctor O.C.D Grumblestein” (ll. 4-5), “Chatty Boners” (l. 7), “AquaTramps” (l. 7), and “Wady Mary” (l. 8), and she comes across as passive-aggressive towards ...