The following version of the book was used to create this study guide: Eggers, Dave. The Eyes and the Impossible. Random House, New York, NY. 2023. Kindle AZW file.

Johannes is a four-legged creature who lives in the park. He believes himself to be a dog but learns that he is half-coyote. He is one of the free animals of the park, but all of the animals are wary of the humans who might harm or capture them. With that in mind, Johannes keeps a low profile. He moves quickly and people seldom notice him. He becomes infatuated with paintings, unaware that they represent the huge world that lies outside the island he calls home.

Johannes serves in a role known as the Eyes. This means that he patrols the park along with several other animals and birds. He gathers the information into a single report and shares those stories with the three Bison who live in a pen at the park. The Bison serve as the council to keep the park in balance. Their role is vital because the people sometimes cause upheaval for the animals.

Johannes's best friend is a gull named Bertrand. Bertrand seems to be confident and happy, but he becomes upset when Johannes spends a lot of time with a new animal to the island – a goat named Helene. From Helene, Johannes learns about the world past the borders of his small home. In a moment of jealousy, Bertrand puts himself in a dangerous position and is seriously injured.

Meanwhile, Johannes has been working on an idea to send the three Bison from their small pen on a journey to freedom. He elicits the help of Helene's herd, coming up with a complicated plan that includes rats, raccoons, horses, birds, and others. The Bison reach a rock overlooking the sea, but realize they are in no condition to finish this journey. Instead, Johannes and Bertrand hide themselves among the goats, slipping onto a ship to begin a new adventure of their own.

Johannes is the only half-coyote living in the park. When he begins hearing people who are concerned about a coyote, his first reaction is fear that the coyote will be dangerous. When he learns that he is half-coyote, and that the people are talking about Johannes, he knows he is in danger. This is one factor that makes his decision to leave the island with the goats. The other is his need to experience all the wonders he has seen depicted in the paintings. The fact that Bertrand is willing to share this experience makes the decision even easier.