Point of View

The point of view of this novel is dramatic or objective third person. While the main character of the novel is clearly the kid, the point of view is not through his narration but rather a distant narrator who does not attempt to tell the reader what the characters are thinking or feeling. It is an impersonal narration that often leaves the kid completely out of the story for chapters at a time, although he is the clearly the main character because when he separates from the Glanton gang, the narration follows his travels rather than the travels of the other characters.

This type of narration makes it possible for the writer to cover the exploits of many characters at once without wasting time dwelling on the subtle nuances of what makes a character human, such as thought and emotions. However, this narration can also be...