"The Kite Runner"- Point Of View

"I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins" (page 1).

This excerpt from the very beginning of the novel sets the tone and the point of view for the entire story. It shows the reader that the story is going to be told from the point of view of Amir, so it will be his opinions and memories which will be shown throughout the story. It sets the POV as first person. Also, it establishes the tone which Amir expresses throughout the majority of the novel. By speaking of his "unatoned sins," he shows that he has something in his past which he regrets. This single sentence causes suspense for the rest of the novel by suggesting that he had a bad past, but by keeping it vague. Also, is establishes his nostalgic tone and shows that the majority of the novel is going to be him looking back at his past. By establishing the point of view and tone at the very beginning, the narrator can give hints to the reader about what is to come without giving away too much. Along with this, he also shows his attitude toward what happened in his past.

"How I Met My Husband" by Alice Munro #2

This story also has much suspense. There is suspense when Edie is waiting for the mail as the reader does not know whether or not Chris will write back. There are also many other parts of suspense such as when the quarrel between Alice Kelling, Mrs. Peebles and Edie. There is suspense in waiting for the outcome of this fight. The main suspense in this story is in waiting to find out who will be Edie's husband. The title is what first informs the reader that by the end of the story, Edie will have revealed her husband. First, the narrator allows the reader to believe that it will be Cris, the pilot. Near the end of the story, the narrator begins to lead the reader away from the belief that Chris will be Edie's future husband. This is hinted at on page 145 when Edie says "It never crossed my mind for a long time a letter might not come." This tells the reader that looking back, Edie realizes she was wrong about her belief that Chris loved her. It is not until the last page and last paragraph of the story that the reader is let in on who Edie's husband is. Here, the narrator reveals that it is in fact the mailman who becomes Edie's husband. For me, this was a huge surprise ending and the suspense was effective in making the story enjoyable.