Narrator and point of view

The short story “Tea with the Birds” by Joanne Harris is a first-person narration, told from the perspective of an unnamed female narrator. However, the first paragraphs of the story might mislead readers as they seem to be written in the third- person: “The funny thing about Mortimer Street is that no-one really seems to know anybody else. It's one of those places; busy without being comfortable; crowded without being friendly.” (ll. 3-5)

The narrator introduces herself after she presents her neighbourhood. The narrator has limited knowledge on the events. She only knows what she feels, hears, and observes. This is why we do not know what Mr Tamaoki thinks, and we only find out what he does with the vegetables towards the end of the story: ...