Freshwater

While the point of view of the novel shifts with each chapter, the return to or mention of “we” generates a motif that develops the theme of Multiplicity: Refusal of the Binary. These sections are written in first-person plural and then first-person singular through the eyes of two different narrators, always in the same body and always switching back to the plural “we.” This motif represents the generative resistance to binary thinking, particularly as it suggests communication, sharing, and connection. It also foreshadows the unity that Ada experiences at the end of the book wherein she states, “[W]e are one and we are many” (214). This chapter is written from the perspective of Ada, but she also uses the first-person plural to communicate the fact that they are on the same side now, reinforcing the benefits of multiplicity. Her statement references the “we” who have been narrating so much of the book, who are still included in this “we.” In the final chapter, demonstrating the growth and togetherness that they have achieved, Ada says “I am my others. We are one and we are many” (215), using first-person plural to describe herself and suggest her newfound sense of connection.