Point of View

This novel, narrated by a voice indistinguishable from that of the author, is told from a viewpoint of limited omniscience. The author goes into the minds of the two main characters, Tom Canty and Edward Tudor, providing their thoughts and feelings to the reader, but he does not enter the minds of the other characters. Instead, the emotions of the supporting characters are portrayed through conversation, the expressions on their faces, and their actions. This choice of viewpoint allows the author to concentrate on fully developing the thoughts of the two main characters as they encounter the strange turns of events in their lives after their identities are accidentally swapped. It seems to be a smart decision on the part of Mark Twain, because whatever other thoughts or feelings might be generated in other characters by these mistaken identities, they would not be as intense or...