The story is told from the third person narrative point of view, which means that Robert's story is related as events occur or have occurred in the past. The author provides no insight into the thoughts or emotions of Robert or any of the other characters. The author transitions frequently from current action to events from Robert's past and then back to the present again. This style is the only way that Robert's past is described and his character is developed. It is not defined in the story, but Robert is the famous Blues musician, Robert Johnson, born in Mississippi and considered one of the finest Blues musicians of all time. The author provides only one clue to Robert's identity with the two lines from one of Robert Johnson's songs, which precede the story. "I got stones in my passway and my road seems black...