Point of View

The narration is written in the first person and the past tense, and the narration consistently adheres to the perspective of the protagonist. The protagonist is narrating from an unspecified number of years following his departure from Chicago. As the protagonist looks back on his time in Chicago, he mostly follows a linear structure, but he occasionally makes allusions to events in the years following his departure from Chicago. The novel’s specific perspective allows the reader to closely monitor the protagonist’s own observations about, and experiences in, the city. These observations and experiences affect the protagonist’s overall perspective as he begins maturing into true adulthood.

On the other hand, the protagonist’s perspective is often secondary to the true narrative and thematic focuses of the novel. The protagonist’s thoughts and personality are often downplayed so as to give more emphasis to...