Point of View

Coming from the third person and omniscient point of view, the narrative exploring the thoughts, feelings, experiences, and perspectives of several characters. In the case of "The Devil all the Time," the omniscient point of view enables the reader to gain insight into the complex motivations and circumstances of a wide variety of characters. That range includes those glimpsed only once or twice such as Hank Bell, those who might be called strong supporting characters such as Joe Bodecker and Pastor Teagardin, or those who might be called central characters such as protagonist Arvin and antagonists Carl and Sandy. The main benefit of this stylistic technique is to create a wide tapestry of experience, a complex interweaving of event and meaning that suggests the book's subject matter and themes can be applied to a broad range of individuals and circumstances. It could be argued that because...