Point of View

The novel is written in the first-person plural, “we.” The first chapter opens with the bold pronouncement: “We are not a people of yesterday.” It then goes on to ask: “Do they ask how many single seasons we have flowed from our beginnings till now?” (1). These two sentences establish a clear opposition between “us” and “them.” With these statements, the narrator establishes that it has the authority to speak on behalf of this collective, and that there is also a “they” who does not understand the “we.”

The narrator’s use of the first-person plural forces the reader to think less about individuals and more about their role and position within the larger society. This unique perspective is also reflected in the construction of the novel, which does not heavily feature individual characters. While there are some characters who are shown greater time than others...