Holly Goldberg Sloan's I Ll Be There

“We don’t meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason.” (Unknown). In Holly Goldberg Sloan’s acclaimed debut novel, I’ll Be There, destiny plays out just like that. When Emily Bell, an average 17 year old girl living in a quaint neighborhood, meets Sam Border, an impoverished but good-looking teenager with an abusive criminal father and a sickly brother, Riddle, meet, they sense something instantly; not love, but a deep connection. But just as they finally overcame the complex tangle of teenage relationships and Emily’s family accepts Sam and Riddle in, Sam’s father’s dark secret causes everything to shatter, with even the mere chance of Sam’s survival hanging on edge. As Sam struggles to find and save Riddle and Emily struggles to navigate the waters of high school peer pressures and rivalry, they learn that the most amazing thing in the world is to know that someone is there for you. Their perspectives they see the story from help them develop alongside
This book is told from 3rd person limited, which is where the narrator tells “his” or “her” story and reveals the thoughts and emotions they have. This is done from many different perspectives, including Emily, Sam, Riddle, and Clarence, Sam and Riddle’s father. One of the main ways the point of view contributes to the story is that it helps drive the story forward. One example is when Sam and Riddle are separated from the Bells. The multiple points of view allows the story to continue on without leaving anyone out, and both conflicts are able to be followed smoothly and thoroughly. The 3rd person limited point of view is significant to the story because it allows us to have insight on many different character’s perspectives. This allows us to further deepen our understanding of the story and connect to the characters. As these perspectives weave together, other literary elements begin to