Ali Smith uses narration in many ways in her novel Girl Meets Boy.

One key choice Smith made was to hand narration duties over to the two sisters. By having the sisters narrate the novel, readers are allowed a visceral and intimate look into their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. There is nothing—certainly not an omniscient, third-person narrator—standing in the way between the reader and the siblings. The first-person narration underscores the importance of Anthea and Midge. The story is as much as about these two individuals and their relationship as it is about their grandpa or Robin. Without the sisters, there’s nothing to narrate. Smith acknowledges their primacy by letting them tell their own tales.

Additionally, Smith uses the narration to create a contrast between Anthea and Midge. Anthea’s narration calls attention to her contempt for corporate culture and societal conventions. Meanwhile, Midge’s narration affirms her desire to abide by the standards of modern, Western life. In Anthea’s first section, she ponders some street protest art. In Midge’s first section, she’s surrounded by brands: including Nike sneakers and a tracksuit made by Stella McCartney and Adidas.

Through the individual narrations, the differences between the sisters become explicit. The separate narrations reinforce the strong personalities that move the story along.