Seeing A Deeper Layer

Each main character in The Bone People is uniquely expressed by the points of view that help to tell the story. The complicated past of each person can be shown through the way that their thoughts are portrayed, and the organization of thought furthers the story and creates a fuller and more riveting experience for the audience. Keri Hulme's use of third person omniscient alternating with short bursts of first person narration provides a deeper understanding of the characters' minds than what could be given by any other method of narration.

Because the point of view is shifted around between the three main characters, the audience is able to view the story in its entirety and to see each character through his/her own eyes and through the eyes of others. The shifts in point of view allow the audience to understand everything, adding frequently to the sense of dramatic irony. Joe thinks often, for the first half of the book, of telling Kerewin something serious. Though we do not know what Joe needs to tell her for a while, we are aware that there is something that Kerewin doesn't know that will eventually be exposed and will affect the relationship between Joe and Kerewin. This knowledge builds anticipation and, therefore, propels the story forward towards that point where the information will be revealed, and towards to the aftermath. In addition to plot development, third person omniscient narration also allows the audience to see each character complexly. Our view of each person is limited neither to the character's thoughts about himself, nor to other character's impressions of that person. We know Kerewin's feelings about herself and her life, but, without the outside information that is attributed to her through other people's thoughts, we would be much more likely to heavily sympathize with her. As it is, however, we sympathize with her familial situation and her intelligence, but the roughness and the way that she actively pushes people away is also brought into our awareness. In this way, so much more is known about each person and about the relationships and events in the story.

In addition to narration shifts between characters, shifts between third and first person are also included, once again adding to the depth of each character. Shifts are mostly indicated by an indentation in the work, a sort of aside that shows, in first person, what a character is thinking. This reveals to us the personal voice of each character. We hear their thoughts rather than hearing a description of their thoughts or of physical reactions to something, and this creates an intimacy between character and audience that otherwise might not be felt. A character's thoughts can be more explicit in feeling than a description of the feeling; it is the difference between explaining a character and showing them. Much like dialogue, the thought shows more raw emotion than can be described by another party and thus gives the audience a different or more in-depth perspective on the character or situation. Through this, we learn more about each character and the way they look at the things around them, which also aids in our view of the story as a whole.

The way that Keri Hulme has her characters tell their story is the most effective way possible. The audience gets the full view of the story, with added irony and anticipation built in to the storytelling and with a holistic view of each character that is backed up by every perspective that it would be possible to include within the realm of the book. The book is rendered artistic through the use of the various points of view and, with the complexities of the narration, the story is able to demonstrate its purpose more clearly than it otherwise could. The Bone People is not a complicated story, but the depth that is added by Hulme's use of point of view allows it to connect to the audience in an unparalleled way.