The story is told from the first person narrative perspective, which means that the events, thoughts and feelings are all perceived from the narrator's point of view. The piece could easily be called an essay because there are no other characters, and the plot line is a re-telling of the author's personal experiences during his boyhood.

Saroyan is well known for a literary technique called the stream of consciousness style of writing, which means that the reader is privy to the author's thoughts as they flow from the source. This is particularly effective in this piece, which relies on memories interspersed with present day analysis. For example, when the narrator describes his inner turmoil about religion, he steps in and out of the beauty of the religious ceremony as contrasted with the ugliness of real life.

"There cannot be a God. But it is lovely...