In the novel, We Were the Mulvaneys, author Joyce Carol Oates introduces the character Judd Mulvaney. In these passages, the narrator experiences flashback about the past and at times they become interrupted by his own thoughts. Nevertheless, Oates uses special literary devices to emphasize how Judd Mulvaney was an intelligent young man. With the help of point of view, choice of words and repetition, creates an epiphany for the character.
The novel was written through the narrator’s point of view in 1st person. The reason why the passage is in 1st person is because the narrator is writing about a moment in his life where he had an epiphany about death. The passage begins with the narrator reflecting back to the location of the incident, “That