Point of View

"Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos is told in the first person from the perspective of the story's young protagonist, also named Jack Gantos. The author and the protagonist having the same name would make one tend to believe that some of the story is based on real events in the author's life, while others are surely from his creative imagination. Writing the story from the point of view of the eleven-year-old child gives the readers insight into how a youngster deals with some very adult situations with which he is burdened.

Jack Gantos is a well-known writer and the author of the "Joey Pigza" series, the Jack Henry collection and many other works. Jack Gantos is the recipient of the 2010 ALAN award for his outstanding achievements in adolescent literature. Gantos is also a former winner of the Newbery Honor and was a national Book...