Point of View

The first 14 chapters of the novel are told entirely from the point of view of the protagonist, Saul Adler. Although it is not unusual for a novel to tell the story from the point of view of the central character, The Man Who Saw Everything uses this technique as a function of the characterization rather than simply as a method of communicating the plot. Everything is told from Saul’s perspective as a reflection of Saul’s character’s tendency to make everything about him.

The purpose of this use of point of view is summarized by an exchange between Saul and “Wolfgang” (who may or may not really be called Wolfgang) in the opening chapter. Wolfgang tells Saul that “You walked on to the crossing and I slowed down, preparing to stop, but then you changed your mind and walked back to the kerb...