Perspective

The book is written in first person and is limited to Washington's point of view. There are few direct quotes and a limited number of quotes from other sources. The majority of the book is exposition. This point of view is absolutely necessary for the understanding of the book because it is the story of the author's rise from slavery as well as his attempts to bring his people from the depths of slavery.

There is some information about Washington's family and his family life, especially from his younger years. However, there is a definite lack on this topic in his later life. For example, he explains that he was married to Fannie Smith in 1882 and that they had one child, Portia M. Washington before Fannie's death. The reader knows that Fannie was dedicated to the school but that's the extent of the information provided on the subject...