Student Question

What is the point of view in The Lucky One?

Quick answer:

The point of view in The Lucky One is third-person limited, shifting among the perspectives of Elizabeth, Deputy Clayton, and Logan. This narrative technique allows distinct voices and insights into each character, offering a varied understanding of their thoughts and motivations. The story does not provide an omniscient view but rather switches between these characters, giving readers a more intimate connection with their personal experiences and emotions.

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The point of view is third person limited, shifting between Deputy Clayton, Elizabeth and Logan’s points of view.

This book is interesting because it does not stick to one third person point of view.  The point of view shifts from narrator to narrator.  This allows three different and distinct voices to be heard.

Having three narrators allows the reader to get a real impression of the people.  Although there are three narrators, they are three distinct limited narrators.  We do not know what every character is thinking at once.  The point of view simply switches.

Elizabeth's Point of View:

Despite the nightmare they had all endured, Beth realized that she felt a kind of …peace for the first time in recent memory.  Since the funeral, she’d grappled with the extraordinary events that had led to that fateful day. (p. 323)

Elizabeth refers to herself as Beth.  Elizabeth is a single mother.  She is with Keith Clayton first, and then Logan.

Keith Clayton's Point of View:

[He] was late for an appointment with one Mr. Logan Thigh-bolt.  Nobody, but nobody, messed with Keith Clayton, especially not some hippie drifter who thought he could put something over on him. (p. 55)

Keith refers to himself as Clayton.  Keith is a deputy.  He is harsh, cross, and has a temper.  He also harbors a great resentment toward Logan and wants to keep Elizabeth to himself.  

Logan Thibault's Point of View:

Until he’d found the photograph, Thibault’s life had proceeded as he’d long intended.  He’d always had a plan. (p. 17)

Logan refers to himself as Thibault.  Logan is a Marine who finds a picture of Elizabeth in Iraq and becomes obsessed with it, so he tracks her down.  By then, he has already fallen in love with her.  Whereas Keith is bullish, Logan is sentimental.

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