Naples '44 Style

Naples '44 Style

Perspective

The author of the diary, Norman Lewis, was a famous British writer. He was born in England and served as part of British intelligence during World War II. Since Naples '44 is his diary, the reader can expect that it will reflect his perspective and biases in great detail. However, the diary is unusual in that Lewis not only never tells the reader his name but never discusses his past, never mentions family members, and rarely discusses anything outside of the present context. The reader has little idea what his interests are or the things he enjoys. We find nothing embarrassing about Lewis; instead, the descriptions of things in the diary stick to external matters.

Lewis's attitudes become clear early on. He is appalled by the wanton violence and evil of World War II and often seems aware that the war has wholly warped the personalities of some people. He...
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