Point of View

Redwall by Brian Jacques is consistently told in the third person past tense by an anonymous and omniscient narrator. None of the characters is human, although there are hints that humans live in the vicinity of Redwall Abbey (milk and cheese are eaten, presuming domestic animals). The novel strikes a strongly moralistic tone. Most of the good characters are cute mice, while most of the bad characters are filthy, vicious rats, and one is a giant adder. Asmodeus' name comes from Jewish folklore: he is a devil, even though he merely follows his nature in seeking prey. By contrast, the sparrows' and owl's hunting is viewed neutrally as instinct. The Sword of Martin, which protagonist Matthias the Warrior, a mouse, seeks to recover, is simply a weapon of death. Whether it serves for good or evil is up to whoever wields it. So speaks an aristocratic...