The narrator

Outer characterisation

The narrator’s outer characterisation in “Gravel” by Alice Munro is very brief. The narrator is most likely a woman, and at the moment of the narration, she is probably an adult. We can deduce this because she goes to see a counsellor and her memories of the event at the gravel pit are rather faded.

In her childhood story, she is younger than 9 and of an age to attend kindergarten. She is described as wearing a scarf.

At first, the narrator lives with her mother, father, and sister in a house in a small town. Later, she moves to the countryside with her mother and sister, and they all live in a trailer together with Neal, the mother’s lover.

Inner characterisation

As a very young child, the narrator is rather naïve. When Neal talks about atomic bombs, the narrator does not comprehend the concept and thinks about an atomic bun. She has a limited un...