Nea the Antagonist

South Plains College
April 20, 2015
Research Paper

In May-Lee Chai’s “Saving Sourdi,” Nea would be the antagonist of the story if the literary development of point of view and characterization were different. Point of view and characterization in literature is what allows us to see, hear, and feel a story the way it is designed. An author’s attention to detail is crucial. He or she may put more focus into every small element in a setting or they may emphasize more on development of plot or character. Every literary piece is different. Point of view is an essential tool in arranging the world in a story that sets itself apart. Development of character can only begin after we know from where the story is coming.

Chai writes “Saving Sourdi” in a first person point of view through a naïve character. We are “restricted to the perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of [this] single character” (Meyer 138). For the rest of my analysis it is important to remember this. The narrator tells a story of the two main characters and the relationship between them. The actions of our immature main character throughout the time of this story takes place continue to fail her, creating contrast between the two of them. The reader can tell this is happening, but because the story comes to us from this first person narrative, we also know that Nea truly believes she is doing the right thing. We can always know too much or too little of what we are supposed to be reading, but the role of point of view shifts our focus without us know it. Interpretation of words or sentences is subject to how they are written, and Chai takes full opportunity of this. The linguistic form or arrangement of words reflect the ideas of individuals, each of which are unique to the reader (Ehrlich 21). The arrangement Chai chooses, keeps the reader thinking that Nea