Point of View

Sharpe's Devil is narrated in the third person and comes from the perspective of the protagonist Richard Sharpe. The perspective of Sharpe gives the novel its distinct tone and voice. Richard Sharpe is a middle-aged, battle scarred and battle weary man. He has seen every kind of violence early nineteenth century societies could inflict on each other. Sharpe is a man who has been through it all, and he is a man who would rather not be part of the world's tumultuous events any longer. This perspective governs the way Sharpe, the narrator, and the audience understands situations and events.

Because the narrator can access and relay the inner thoughts of Sharpe, his perceptions are that of the reader. And because the reader's perspective is from a middle-aged man who has seen and done everything, this has a dual effect on one's understanding of events. Sharpe...