The Novel "Sweet Sixteen" is naratted in ______________

Analyzing the question

The question asks about the narrative point of view (the "person") used in a novel titled "Sweet Sixteen." It is a literature-in-English style question, so we need to recall how the story is told.

The concept: narrative point of view

• First person: The narrator is a character in the story and uses "I" and "we."
• Second person: The narrator addresses the reader as "you." This is rare in novels.
• Third person: The narrator is outside the story and uses "he," "she," and "they."

Working through it

"Sweet Sixteen" is by Nigerian author Ifeoma Chinwuba? No, I should be careful here. I am not fully certain of the author's details, so I'll avoid guessing. Looking at the options themselves, though, helps:

• Option D ("second person subjected narratives") is not a real literary term, so we eliminate it.
• Option A (second person) is extremely rare in novels, so it is very unlikely.
• That leaves first person (B) and third person (C).

Novels centred on a teenage girl's coming-of-age experience, as the title "Sweet Sixteen" suggests, are very commonly told in the first person. The narrator recounts her own experiences, feelings and struggles directly, which makes the story intimate and personal.

If your class has studied the book, check the opening pages: if the narrator says "I," it confirms first person.

Answer: B. First person narratives

Exam tip: To identify the narrative voice fast, look at the pronouns in the first paragraph. "I/we" means first person, "you" means second person, and "he/she/they" means third person. Also, when an option contains an invented-sounding term like "second person subjected narratives," it is almost always a distractor.