Point of View

In the Lives of Puppets is told in the third person. The majority of the novel is narrated using the limited third person perspective of the protagonist Vic. This perspective shows the reader Vic’s intimate connections with his friends and family, especially Gio and Hap. The narrative voice allows the reader to identify with Vic’s emotions. This limited perspective also allows the narrative to build suspense by hiding things that Vic is unaware of, such as Gio’s discussion with Hap when they first meet.

Vic’s narrative voice also allows Klune to satirize and critique contemporary human society. Since Vic is raised in the very small community of himself, Gio, Nurse Ratched, and Rambo, his exposure to human society is only through cultural artifacts that remain, such as music and films. To Vic, contemporary human norms such as boss/worker relationships or...