Point of View

In the prologue and epilogue, the narration takes the form of third-person limited, which creates a distancing effect in relation to Jim, who is simply called “the man,” while during the rest of the narrative (Chapters 1-4) the narrator is Jim himself, using first-person limited. This yo-yo effect allows the reader to examine Jim from a distance, almost like an unnamed stranger or a piece of art alongside the 24 Hour Psycho exhibit, and then encounter him and his state-of-mind more directly in the main section. It destabilizes the reader, forcing him or her to consider the same character from multiple perspectives and see him both subjectively and objectively.

Jim is the main protagonist and focal point of the novel, as Jessie remains enigmatic, and Elster’s character is expressed mostly through his discussions with Jim. One gets a full sense of Elster’s character simply...