Average Waves In Unprotected Waters Summary

The point of view is very important because it gives different perspectives and affects how you see the story. The story “Average Waves in Unprotected Waters” is told in third person omniscient. This allows us to know about a single character fully through a narrator. In this story it is important because it is told from the perspective of Arnold's mother, who it left with a difficult choice. It is told this way because it allows us to see into Bet’s mind and feel pity for her in her position.

The story has a huge impact through Bet, because it shows how she sees the world from her position as a mother. Bet is a poor mother of one, and this can be seen because it is said that she got Arnold a coat that took 3 weeks salary to buy. The house that her and Arnold live in was described as not very good. Her husband left them, so it was just her trying to care for for Arnold by herself. Her being poor shows that she has limited means, which could have …show more content…
A loving mother wouldn't give their child to that institution. Through the perspective of Bet, the little things she does shows that she loves Arnold. In her thoughts, she was saying that she wanted to punch a guy’s face because they were mean to Arnold; this shows her passion and caring. Also that she paid so much money on a jacket for him so that he would look presentable. She wants him to fit in so maybe the institution would see that he is cared for and loved. When she wants to not get out of the cab, she makes one last attempt to not let go of Arnold; she really cares about him and wants to not let him go. If it was in another point of view, we would never know that she was loving and that she cared about Arnold. Also, at the end of the story, when Bet is trying to let go of Arnold with the nurse present, she keeps trying to let the nurse know about Arnold’s blanket, but the nurse does not listen to what Bet has to say about