What is the author's style in Bless the Beasts and Children by Glendon Swarthout?

The point of view of the novel is mostly third person, though it occasionally slips into first person. The view is omniscient and reliable, in that the narrator can accurately describe the actions and emotions of the characters, but it is not always consistent. On occasion, the point of view transfers into the mind of a particular character, usually Cotton. As the emotional and spiritual growth of the boys lies at the heart of the story, this point of view is effective in showing the reader their development as individuals and as a group.

The story is told in sections. The first section of the book, roughly half of the story, shows the first part of their quest—the journey. It is interspersed with flashbacks to events that took place earlier in the summer at the boys' camp and earlier in the boys' lives at home. Developing the story in spurts like this fills in important details about the characters and the group as the reader needs to know them to enhance their understanding of the boys' actions.

Only when the journey is complete is the reason for the journey revealed. In a small section towards the middle of the book, an explanation of the catalyst for the boys quest is given. This section also marks a departure from the point of view of the novel, as the author leaves the central story to give a brief history of the plight of the buffaloes. Saving buffaloes is the ultimate goal of the main characters.

The final section, achieving the goal of the quest, returns to the established point of view.