Point of View

The novel is written in the limited third-person, with a narrator who moves between present action and flashbacks. Zone One’s apocalyptic reality is experienced through Mark Spitz’s narrow prism, and the reader does not gain access to anything outside of his direct experience. Yet, Mark Spitz’s narration often focuses on wider social and cultural themes, as well as a heightened fixation on other characters personal lives. Mark Spitz’s interest in broader concepts, including other people’s interpersonal histories, allows the limited third-person narrative to feel rich and full.

Language and Meaning

Throughout the novel, Mark Spitz uses the past tense to recall the novel’s events. Although the novel takes place over a three-day period, Mark Spitz commonly has flashbacks, scenes that also use past tense. The author’s use of the past tense can be understood as a symbolic device...