Some critics object to the shifting point of view in The Big Rock Candy Mountain. The story is told from the perspectives of the different characters, shifting from one to another. To these critics, this technique is confusing.

They would prefer the steadier view that the character Lyman Ward gives Angle of Repose. On the other hand, this shifting point of view allows the characters to reveal how they see their own lives. Without the scenes revealing Bruce's complex emotional life, he could seem only an annoying crybaby.

Like his father, he is partly a product of his family life. His anger at his father seems natural, even sympathetic when seen from his point of view. After all, his father is sometimes brutal and cruel. Yet, Bo can be a sympathetic character. His horrible childhood is worse than what he inflicts on his children, and from his perspective...