Independence Day | Style

Independence Day Style

Point of View

Frank Bascombe is the main character and the first person narrator of Independence Day. In some ways, he makes an excellent narrator. His detailed knowledge of Haddam, gained partly from having lived there for many years, and partly from having shown houses in every area of town, helps the reader put the story in context because Frank can narrate for us the history of virtually every person and place in the story. This insider's knowledge is an invaluable asset for a narrator to possess, and helps the reader feel right at home in the story from the start.

However, Frank is not the most reliable of narrators, good-hearted as he might be. His knowledge of Haddam far exceeds his knowledge of himself. We frequently learn more about Frank as the protagonist from the other characters in the novel, and how they relate to him. Frank's fatal flaw as both narrator...
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