Point of View

Virgil Wander is a first-person narrative from the perspective of the title character. Virgil is a middle-aged man who has recently suffered head trauma. His narration is very much aware of his head injury and its impact on his memory. Virgil does not present himself as an unreliable narrator. Instead, Virgil is candid with the reader about his memory. Virgil’s perception of the town and its people are not called into question by his narration. Virgil narration, like his character, is fair.

The point of view is shaped by the novel’s setting in the Midwest. The influence of weather is noted, with early snowfall and wind being addressed. The proximity to the Lake Superior is also noted. Alec’s plane disappears over the lake. The lake is also where Virgil’s accident happens. The presence of the landscape is noted throughout the novel...