Point of View

'Half of a Yellow Sun' is told from the point of view of several characters, most of them identifying themselves as Igbo. Ugwu, Odenigbo, Olanna, and Kainene are all Igbo and offer their perspectives from all social ranks. The reader hears from Ugwu a perspective of a young person from an impoverished upbringing, being impacted by the war. Olanna tells the story from a woman's perspective as well as one who is in the upper part of Nigerian society. Odenigbo represents the intellectual middle class. Last, but certainly not least, there is Richard, who is English. He offers an outsider's viewpoint on the events as they unfold, and even asks the questions that the reader may also want to ask about race, culture, and prejudice.

Just as none of the characters are without flaws, so too, are the points of view being offered completely reliable...