What is the author's style in Recapitulation by Wallace Stegner?

The novel is written in the third person point of view. The point of view centers on Bruce Mason, a diplomat who has returned to his hometown to arrange the funeral for an aunt who has been in his care for many years. As Bruce explores all his old haunts, he begins to move back and forth from the present to the past. In order to better explore these memories with the reader, the author has chosen the third person point of view with an omniscient quality that allows the reader to see and experience Bruce's thoughts and emotions alongside, remembering the past with Bruce. This narration also allows the reader to view some of Bruce's dreams in which Mature Bruce experiences again some of the climatic moments of his relationships with a girlfriend, a best friend, and his family.

The point of view of this novel is important because the plot moves so frequently into the past that it is important to utilize a point of view that allows the reader to move back and forth in time without confusion. The point of view of this novel is third person, a point of view that is somewhat separating, allowing the reader intimacy with the main character, but not as much intimacy as might be established with a first person point of view. The first person point of view might not be a good choice in a novel such as this in which the narrating character basically separates himself from the person he was as a young man, making it seem to himself and the reader as though there are two main characters rather than just one. Therefore the third person point of view is a good choice because it allows this separation without adding confusion to the plot and tells a story that leaves the reader feeling as though they have gone on a roller coaster ride of emotion with both Bruce Masons and survived, as Mature Bruce has done.