Point of View

This story is told from two different points of view. The chapters alternate between chapters told from the first person point of view of Carlos and chapters told from the third person point of view with an emphasis on James. The first person point of view used in Carlos’ chapters makes the reader feel more emotionally connected with Carlos. These chapters are told in his voice and are perhaps entries from the journal that he prepared James. The chapters that focus on James are written from the point of view of a third person narration putting a certain amount of distance between the reader and James.

Language and Meaning

Because Carlos and his sons live in Mexico, there are some Spanish phrases included in the novel. Most of these phrases are self-explanatory. For instance, James children call him “papá” (2) obviously the Spanish word for father...