Dr. Perina

Dr. Norton Perina is the book’s central character, its protagonist and, for much of its length, its narrator. The book is presented as a sort of autobiography, or memoir, in which Perina discusses his life in reference to its primary focus – scientific research, more specifically his investigations into the apparent physical immortality of a few members of an isolated island community. That frame of reference, in Perina’s perspective, seems to apply to his entire life: he sees everything he has experienced in relationship to his orientation not only towards science, but also, and perhaps more importantly, towards his success as a scientist and researcher.

This last aspect of his identity and personality comes through quite clearly: his writing about himself and his life tends to be self-aggrandizing, arrogant, and at times even delusional. By the time the novel reaches its climax, the reader gains a...