Point of View

The story is told from the third person, past tense point of view. Its perspectives are defined and/or limited to the perceptions and reactions of protagonist Bird. Narration is omniscient (all knowing), but only when it comes to Bird's experiences. The actions, intentions and feelings of the other characters are seen, interpreted, and understood through the filter of his perceptions and history. This brings the reader closely and intimately into Bird's situation, although it's important to note that many readers might find being put in such a position uncomfortable, given some of what Bird experiences.

To be specific, the fact that Bird so seriously considers first passively then actively ending his son's life might be an aspect of the human experience that some readers find distasteful, perhaps even to the point that they may wish to emotionally distance themselves from such an experience as much...