Point of View

Most of the novel is told from Gustavo’s perspective, as the main focus of the novel is Gustavo’s recounting of his own life story. Gustavo narrates his life story from a retrospective point of view at some point in time after having become friends with Jacobo. This could mean that he is narrating the story from either middle-age or old-age, but he decides to end his narrative just after the event of Siddhartha’s arrest. Gustavo reflects on various events from his birth up through various events in his career as an auctioneer. Gustavo’s preoccupation with both his career and his family relationships reveals his desire to reconcile them both. However, Gustavo’s personal narrative gives more focus to his career, thereby giving an indirect insight into the possible causes of his estrangement from Flaca and Siddhartha.

The novel eventually shifts to...