Narrator and point of view

The short story “The Sin Bin or Lucy’s Heart” by Lucy Cross is told by a first-person narrator who is also the main character. 

Lucy’s limited perspective and her internal conflict make her account somewhat ambiguous and conflicted. For instance, she wants to appear tough when Mr. Paterson asks her about beating Penny, telling him that she hates her (p. 34, l. 32). However, she later contradicts it: “I don’t hate Penny Jones. Poor Penny Jones.” (p. 34, l. 44), suggesting she empathizes with Penny. 

The narrator’s attitude towards Bethan also reflects her inner conflict. She switches between negative and positive impressions of Bethan and the role she plays in her life. For instance, her dislike of Bethan is expressed by passages like this one: “So...