Point of View

I, Juan de Pareja is written in first person past tense from the point of view of the protagonist, Juan de Pareja. The plot is developed primarily through a series of scenes involving Juan. Juan's inner thoughts and feelings are exposed, although most of the novel consists of scene and dialogue. The personalities of other characters, especially Don Diego, Carmelo and Juan's eventual wife Lolis, are revealed through action and dialogue. Although Juan is a slave, he has accepted the prevailing culture of Spain and identifies strongly with his master and mistress.

The novel does not attempt to illustrate the typical life of a slave in Spain or a typical day. It is an uncomplicated telling, in retrospect, of a specific series of significant events by a much older Juan de Pareja. Thus, there are gaps of years and even decades in the story covered by...