Narrator and point of view

The short story “What Anton Learns in the Queue” by Janis Freegard is told in the present tense. This helps emphasise the fact that the third person narrator shares Anton’s point of view, following the events as he experiences them: “Oh Jesus, surely she’s not flirting with him? ‘Yes, I have got a girlfriend. Her name’s Shell.’ ” (ll. 77-78).

The story is told from a third-person, limited point of view by an unknown narrator. Through the third-person narration, readers also gain access to Anton’s internal monologue, which helps them understand more about the character.

The narrator’s limited point of view can be observed in the fact that he does not give readers insight into the other character’s minds. For example, the narrator does not provide insight into what Bernadette thinks or feels.

The narration is mixed with dialogue. The third-person narrator sometimes co...