Point of View

Ishi: Last of His Tribe is related in the past tense by a third-person omniscient narrator. The narration shifts with the inner thoughts of Ishi to a present-tense first-person narrative and is indicated by a change to italics, as in the following example from Chapter 1: “The Moon Seasons.” “Sometimes Ishi dreamed of the Monster. In his dream, he left the hills of home and went to the valley where he saw it close-up. He told no one of this dream. Whether it is a Power Dream or a dream of no meaning, I do not know. Grandfather says a Power Dream is sent by a God or a Hero for a reason which may not be understood for many moons.”

Setting

The setting of Ishi: Last of His Tribe is in northern California. Ishi’s village in the first half of the book is named...