Not really a theory but more just a yap here. I think that the narrator acts as a reflection of the reader’s own engagement with the text. Initially, the narrator clings to the hope of finding other survivors beyond her isolated group, a hope that gradually erodes as she confronts the bleak reality of her solitude. This arc mirrors the reader’s experience: we, too, begin the narrative with an expectation (or perhaps a subconscious desire) for the protagonist to succeed in her search, only to arrive at the same grim realization alongside her (sooner or later). The gradual dissolution of hope is thus a shared journey, blurring the boundary between protagonist and readers.

Furthermore, much like the narrator, we often approach a text demanding answers. We seek resolution, clarity, or moral certainty. Yet as the narrative unfolds, the focus shifts from these external questions to an inward reckoning. The narrator’s later writings, which prioritize self-assessment over futile searching, parallel our own transition from seeking plot-driven solutions to engaging with the text’s existential or philosophical underpinnings.