Points of View

Harold Keith illuminates Jeff Bussey's coming of age journey in Rifles for Waitie through a third-person omniscient point of view. At times it seems as if the author directly narrates in an all-knowing fashion the great historical details of the clothing worn, the weapons used, and the dialects. The reader observes the fact that Harold Keith masters the vivid details of the time period through the point of view he uses to enlighten readers about Jeff Bussey's journey. The point of view lends authority and believability to the characters, the events, and the setting.

Setting

Rifles for Waitie occurs against a backdrop of the Civil War during the time period of 1861 through 1865 in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and the portion of the Cherokee Nation, which is now included in the state of Oklahoma. The issues for the Indian Confederates and the Indian Union soldiers differ from the...