The Keys of the Kingdom is a bildungsroman, the development taking place within a flashback. Cronin introduces the protagonist as an old priest who is under review for his odd doctrinal positions, or, more accurately, his mere wording of doctrines: He would like to express a truth by way of Confucius as well as by way of Christ. The reader sees this in a short first chapter, after which Cronin takes the reader through fast-moving chapters which recount the protagonist's life. He returns to the original scene only in the last chapter.