Narrator

The narrator of Moonglow is a fictionalized version of the book’s author, Michael Chabon. In flashbacks where the author is a young boy, people refer to him as “Mike,” and the narrator’s great uncle on his father’s side is called Sam Chabon. By inserting himself in a narrative about his relatives, the structure of the book becomes that of a memoir in which he is mostly recounting anecdotes secondhand. It is, therefore, impossible to tell which parts of the book are based in reality and which parts are wholly fabricated. The narrator himself is present in multiple anecdotes, but his personality and actions are never the focus of the narrative. However, the narrator’s personality, thoughts, and feelings may be interpreted as influencing how the anecdotes are told to the reader.

Grandfather

The narrator’s grandfather serves as the book’s primary protagonist (despite the...