Point of View

The work possesses three distinct points of view, those of Isaac, Evangeline, and Jonah. The first chapter begins with a first person narration from Isaac's perspective. Given this, the reader immediately aligns with Isaac, whose son has been murdered by his childhood friend, who then commits suicide. While Isaac discloses the "the raw facts," he also foreshadows his deep spirituality by proclaiming that the facts only reveal "that the greatest mysteries lie hidden in what we believe we already know" (3, 4). Isaac is a credible first person narrator, willingly disclosing his biases, and frequently engaging in self reflection. His deep belief in Quakerism promotes silent introspection, so his narration reflects a search for truth and clarity. His narration includes many internal monologues that wax philosophical as he tries to make sense of life in the wake of great tragedy. His willingness to accept culpability for the...