John is a student as the story opens and the son of Innes Todd who is a doctor. He is greatly shaped by the death of his mother which occurred when John was born. John refers to himself as a murderer and believes his father and brother are antagonistic toward him because he is to blame for his mother's death. John struggles constantly to find acceptance and love, and he seeks that out with several unacceptable partners, including his maternal aunt. This infatuation is partly to blame for the fact that John joins the military during World War I and spends time as a prisoner of war. He returns home to find most people unwilling to even listen to his stories of captivity, let alone commiserate with him. John falls into the role of cameraman and film director in the burgeoning film industry though his first attempts at filmmaking don't fulfill his creative yearnings. John says he is lacking in self-confidence, probably the result of his feelings of alienation from his father and brother. As a student in school, John is adequate but not particularly driven. As he ages, he looks back on his life and believes he's had only a few good friends. John is the epitome of the coming-of-age character in many ways though he continues to struggle with his self-esteem and his need for love into his seventies. The story is presented from John's perspective.
