Narrator and point of view

The short story “We gotta number there” by Rayda Jacobs is told in the past tense by a third-person narrator.

Most of the story is told through Richard’s perspective, and this is how readers learn about his feelings and about other characters as well. For instance, we know that Richard is surprised to find out about Jonas’s former job although he does not show it (l. 45), and that the presence of the Mbulus’ little girl is what convinces him to give the Mbulus a chance: “It was the little girl (…) that decided him.” (ll. 41-43)

The narrator’s perspective, however, is not always limited to Richard’s point of view. At times, we also have insight into what the other characters are thinking. For instance, when Jonas is asked about the references, we find out that “it was the moment he’d been waiting for” (l. 32). When Muriel makes cruel comments about the Mbulus’ luck, we also learn that Lucky feels guilty and uncertain, “a lot of her earlier enthusiasm gone” (l. 190).

The narrative is mostly explicit, with the events ...