Point of View

The novel is narrated in the first person and the past tense by Hiram. Hiram narrates the novel in a retrospective fashion, looking back upon the events of the novel after they have occurred. Hiram is technically the only narrator and point-of-view character in the novel, but the lives and perspectives of other characters become elucidated when those characters share personal anecdotes with Hiram. These perspectival confluences not only serve to emphasize the importance of community and connection when opposing injustice, but they also emphasize the collective suffering caused by unjust institutions such as slavery. Moreover, the specific, personal accounts of suffering add further dramatic and empathetic weight to these many instances of deep suffering.

In addition, Hiram’s character arc is defined in part by a widening of perspective, thereby demonstrating how increased knowledge and community are necessary for both personal and societal growth...