Point of View

Milkweed is told from the first person point of view of Misha. Though the majority of the novel depicts Misha's childhood experiences during World War II in Warsaw, the author presents the narrative from Misha's distanced perspective as an older man. By allowing Misha's voice and story to guide the novel's movement, the author is able to establish a level of intimacy between Misha and the reader. The first person narration grants closer access to Misha's interiority, his thoughts and feelings over the course of his life. The first person perspective also allows the reader to feel she is experiencing each of Misha's memories along with him. As he remembers the events of his past, the reader feels as if she is reliving each moment as well.

Much of Misha's story is running and smuggling, hiding and escaping. Misha's physical movements, especially between the ghetto...