"The Little Mermaid"

The setting plays a large part in the short story "The Little Mermaid."  The author's description of not only the people, but the place they lived, gives the reader a very vivid picture of their home looked like and what the places they visited looked like.  "Many a night this quiet, thoughtful little mermaid would stand by the open window, looking up through the dark blue waters where the fishes swam,"  this quote evokes the emotion of peace and calm.  I can image myself when I was little standing at the window at night looking out at the stars.  Also when the author is describing the sea witch's home you get the eary feeling because of the description he uses when he describes the trees and the turbulets that the little mermaid had to swim against to see the sea witch.  Without setting, this would be a very dull story where the reader would not be able to place themselves within it or evoke the emotion of the story.  The best part of this story was being able to put yourself into the story and image you were living it

"The Little Mermaid" is told in third person limited omniscient.  I believe the author choose this point of view because it was not necessary for the reader to be able to see into the other sisters' thoughts or feelings like it was for the little mermaid.  By using third person limited omniscient the reader is still able to see what the little mermaid is feeling and what she is thinking.  I think it would be neat to read this story if it would have been written in first person from the little mermaid.  But if the reader would have choosen a different point of view this would be a very different story than it is now.  There is always a reason why the author chooses which point of view to use over another.