Point of View

Dave Eggers tells his novel, A Hologram for the King, in the third-person omniscient perspective. The vastly-different Saudi Arabian landscape and people, as well as Alan's experiences, are deftly handled by the objective narrator, explaining conventions and customs when needed. Though the experiences are Alan's, the third-person narrative enables the plot to proceed at a flowing pace, without being drawn down by the thought processes of a depressed and unsure individual. In this way, the reader is able to relate and understand Alan Clay secondhand, rather than experiencing events through the eyes of Alan Clay himself, or being drawn down into the opaque place of his life.

Setting

Dave Eggers sets his novel, A Hologram for the King, in the Middle Eastern nation of Saudi Arabia. In times of trouble, people often look to the rich, the powerful, and the influential to help ease their burdens...