Point of View

David Levithan tells his novel “Two Boys Kissing” in the first-person omniscient narrative mode from the point of view of the chorus. The chorus consists of a group of unnamed dead gay men who succumbed to AIDS. These men narrate the novel as it unfolds, drawing on their collective experiences and lives to provide context and guidance to the reader regarding the present. For example, as Cooper prepares to commit suicide, the chorus explains that things will get better, that nothing is ever as bad as it seems. They know everything that is going to happen, and know everything that has happened in the past. They are present at all points of the novel, and are observers of each of the subplots as they unfold. However, the chorus lacks any power to interfere as demonstrated when they want to prevent Cooper from seeking to commit...