Point of View

The novel’s narration is written in the first person and the past tense. Grady is the protagonist, narrator, and sole point-of-view character in the novel. Thus, all of the events and information in the novel are filtered through Grady’s thoughts, perspectives, experiences, and observations. Grady is also therefore the only character whose thoughts and interiority are ever conveyed directly to the reader. However, it is also important to note that Grady is narrating in a retrospective fashion, meaning he is looking back on the events of the novel from months or years later. This does not necessarily affect the sense of immediacy with which these events are portrayed, but it may affect the novel’s tone and other facets.

Despite the fact that Grady is technically the sole point-of-view character, the reader also gains insights into the other characters’ perspectives, which are relevant...