Point of View

The story is told from the point of view of Timothy Meeker. At the start of the war, Tim is twelve years old. As readers experience the story through his eyes, they also learn about the cost of war. At first, Tim does not know or care much about the war, aside from the way it affects him personally. As the war becomes fiercer, Tim grows more aware of the different arguments that drive the war and the conflicts of truth and morality that go with it. As Tim grows up and becomes a man, the world around him changes as well. By witnessing events from Tim's perspective, the reader is able to grow with him.

Using Tim as a narrator also allows the authors to demonstrate the personal cost of war. The reader is aware of what Tim wants and how he feels about his...