Point of View

This novel is written in the third person, but the author describes the thoughts of several of the characters in such detail that the reader is able to see the situation from a variety of characters’ points of view. Most of the book follows the main character, Ichiro, using both exposition and dialogue. In the early chapters, the author sometimes reveals the thoughts of Ichiro’s mother and father. By using this technique, Okada is able to show us very different points of view, such as that of Ichiro and that of his mother, who often see the world in two completely different ways.

In Chapter 6, the narrative follows Kenji, without Ichiro’s presence. The author describes Kenji’s visit to his father’s home, showing the reader not only Kenji’s thoughts, but also those of his father. In this manner, Okada is able...