Point of View

Simon the Fiddler is told through a third-person limited narrator who focuses largely on Simon’s point of view. This narration style allows the reader to get an inside-look into the mind of the protagonist. This is especially useful considering Simon’s secretive nature. Simon also struggles to put his emotions into words, claiming that his music gives him an eloquence of a different kind. Simon’s limited ability to express himself makes the narrator’s role all the more significant.

There are a few instances in which the third-person limited narrator focuses on characters other than Simon. For instance, the reader gets a look into Doris’ life at the start of Chapter 10, when the narrator describes Doris’ journey across Texas to reach San Antonio. Similar instances of this switch in perspective occur in the second half of the novel. This makes sense, considering that...