Point of View

First person narration is critical to the impact of Dog of the south, for only Ray Midge can tell his bizarre story. From the novel's beginning to its rather anticlimactic ending, Ray recounts his tale of betrayal and attempts to retrieve his car, credit cards and perhaps his wife. Along the way he encounters a host of lost souls, each a tragic figure, and his reactions to and relationships with them are portrayed through his eyes. One of the benefits of first person narration is that the reader is able to gain important insight into the innermost thoughts and feelings of the narrator. Through most of this stale, however, there is an almost deliberate attempt not to reveal strong emotion or feeling.

Occasionally, the reader is allowed to glean bits of contemplation and a few instances of anger, but predominantly, the tale unfolds through conversation among...