Point of View

The point of view in the novel varies greatly throughout depending on the chapter and even the paragraph. There are, however, two overarching point of view styles throughout. These styles most often switch every other chapter, although every so often in the novel's later section the point of view will remain the same from one chapter to the next. In this way, McCarthy creates a predictable rhythmic point of view shift, and when the rhythm is interrupted it calls attention to the fact that the same point of view persists through more than one chapter.

The first point of view in the novel is third person omniscient, in that the reader is privy to the thoughts, emotions, and intentions of the characters while watching the action from a removed distance. This style is most prevalent in the chapters involving Molloy and Kohn as they travel...