Point of View

"The Poet" by Michael Connelly is written in the first-person point of view. The point of view is that of Jack McEvoy, reporter for the Rocky Mountain News. Jack has an unusual job as a murder reporter, investigating and writing about murders that interest him, with no deadlines and few restrictions. When Jack hears that his brother, Sean, has committed suicide, the reader is able to get a sense of the incredible amount of grief and shock experienced by Jack and other members of the family. Although Jack is thoroughly stunned by the news, he immediately begins to question Sean's co-workers, cops in the Crimes Against Persons Unit of the Denver Police Department. Jack's training takes over, in part to shield him from the horrific loss.

Throughout the story, Jack conveys his confusion, doubts and determination about Sean's death. The reader is able to see the...