Point of View

Despite the fact that the narrator is technically separate from Dmitri, the novel appears to maintain a point of view that strictly remains within the bounds of Dmitri’s own experience. Whenever other characters are mentioned, they appear to be presented through the lens of Dmitri’s own thoughts and knowledge of them. Therefore, even though the book is told in the third-person, it can in many ways be considered a first-person narrative. Thematically, this makes perfect sense. Dmitri is a generally isolated figure in his struggle to pursue artistic beauty and resist the overbearing power of the Soviet government. Even though Dmitri’s experiences are shaped by those he loves, whenever Dmitri makes an action to in some way resist the will of the government, it is a choice he makes alone. This first-person perspective also makes sense as a way to heighten the...