Point of View

The novel is written in the first person and the past tense. The entire story is told through David’s point of view. At first, this viewpoint is naive because David is a young boy. He does not comprehend what is fully happening around him beyond what adults tell him, and so the reader must read between the lines and take note of the subtext. For example, David’s encounter with Sophie showcases the discrepancy between his point of view and the brutal world of Waknuk. He only has a dim awareness she is a Deviation and so he treats her like any other kid. The author deliberately uses David’s naive point of view to contrast the harsh puritanical society with a child’s innocence. Although David is naive, he sees things and people as they truly are. He is not fully brainwashed. Further...