Narrator and point of view

“Smile” by Roddy Doyle is a first-person narration, told by the character of Victor Forde. At the time of the narration, the narrator is already much older, compared to the time of the narrated events, when he was a teenager: “I’m older than he was back then and I think I recognise it now: he was miserable. He was lonely.” (ll. 14-15)

The narrator already knows the outcome of his story, but does not reveal it to the readers. Instead, he uses a limited knowledge point of view. He does not know what Brother Murphy is thinking or how others will react, unless it happens or the characters share it with him:

Murphy stared at the wall, then spoke.
– Take down the homework.
No one pleaded with him. No one spoke. The bell went. He left. (ll. 172-174)

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