Characterization of the narrator

Outer characterization

The narrator is the main character in Marc Mitchell’s story “The New Girl”, which focuses on his perspective on the events and on his development as a result of the events in the story. 

The narrator’s outer characterization reveals that he is eight years old and lives in a “white, lower-middle-class neighborhood” (p. 22, l. 15). He is friends with an older girl named Alison “by default” (p. 21, ll. 7-8) because there are no other kids on their block. 

Inner characterization

The narrator’s inner characterization is constructed based on his relationship with the other characters and his attitude. His relationship with Allison reveals that, although they play together and act like friends, they do not actually like each other: “But I don’t think she liked me very much, and I don’t know if I liked her either.” (p. 22, ll. 3-4). However, since Allison is older, the narrator looks up to her (p. 21, l. 8). This suggests the na...