Point of View

"Woods Runner" is told from the point of view of Samuel Smith, a thirteen-year-old boy who has been raised in the frontier forests of western Pennsylvania. The narrative sections of the novel are written from an omniscient and third-person viewpoint so the reader is aware of Samuel's thoughts and motivations. As a hunter, Samuel is no stranger to death, but he is deeply moved by the sight of dead people who have been scalped or brutally cut down by enemy soldiers. As a result his point of view is that violence should be avoided unless it is absolutely necessary. His early experiences have also made him wary of strangers and uncertain of who is a friend or a potential enemy.

The books is divided between narrative sections told from the point of view and brief non-fiction sections where the author presents factual information about life in...