Point of View

The point of view of the novel is often the first-person perspective of Octavian as well as letters from the first-person point of view of characters such as Private Evidence Goring. The point of view is less than reliable at many points in the novel, especially during Octavian's early childhood, as he is reconstructing these memories at a later time, and even admits to not being sure if his earlier account is given in anything like chronological order, though he makes that attempt. However, the unreliability of the narrator does not stem from fears or perceptions that he is in any way dishonest, but instead simply not entirely clear how certain events transpired. The point of view does well to drive home the fact of Octavian's humanity, and sharp and critical contrasts are made against his point of view and the detached articles from newspapers or...