Point of View

“Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin” by Liesl Shurtliff is written in the first person from the perspective of the protagonist, Rump. Writing the book from this perspective allows the reader to be aware of the thoughts and feelings of Rump and permits the reader to gain a deeper understanding of his motivations and actions. Writing from the third person would disallow this in-depth scrutiny of the protagonist and leave what drives him to the speculation and judgment of the reader. The author does that work for the reader through Rump’s thoughts and deeds and through his dialogue changes with other characters.

Rump is an appealing character and the reader is privy to his hurt at literally being the “butt” of jokes with the other boys in his village who bully him. He is the smallest boy; his growth was stunted when he was...