Point of View

In The Boy Who Dared, the author presents the story in third person omniscient point-of-view. There is no first-person account by Helmuth Hubener, so the author relied on eyewitness interviews and historical accounts. These were quite detailed, as she was able to interview many survivors, including Helmuth's brother Gerhard, and his friends, Rudi and Karl. Her third-person depiction is the perfect presentation, in that by all accounts, it seems to capture quite well the personality and determination of Helmuth.

Whether the action occurs in Plotzensee Prison or in various flashbacks to different pivotal moments throughout Helmuth's life, the point-of-view is seamless and appropriate. Readers are indirectly afforded glimpses, however, of some of Helmuth's first-person point-of-view. Through the sharing of the content of some of Helmuth's school essays, the pamphlets and even his final note to Gerhard from Plotzensee Prison, it enhances the reader's understanding of...