Point of View

The story is told in the first person omniscient point of view. This allows the reader to fully be immersed in thoughts, emotions, and actions of the narrator, Hiram Hillburn. This is especially important as it shows the gradual change in the relationships between Hiram and his father as well as his grandfather. It also gives insight into the evolution of Hiram from someone who is afraid of R.C. to someone who is willing to stand up for what he believes in for the sake of justice, no matter the consequences. These views give the reader a greater understanding of the plot development as the focus is solely on Hiram's role in the novel and how it is conjoined with a major event in the civil rights era of United States history.

Language and Meaning

The language of the novel is fairly simple to...