Perspective

Herzog writes in the first person singular, past tense. It is the perspective of a single observer of the events described, told after the fact. Herzog is a direct participant in most of the events he depicts, and he includes his own memories and thoughts to provide explanation and motivation. He occasionally does describe events where he is not present, but does not always indicate his source of information. Instead, he describes these events as an outside observer. On one occasion, he includes a passage from the journal of one of the other climbers to fill out some facts and times of which he himself had no direct knowledge.

Herzog takes his duty as the leader of the expedition seriously, and his perspective is of a person who sometimes feels the strain of this responsibility. He is mainly optimistic in his outlook and very confident in his abilities...