Point of View

Point of view switches among the primary characters who write their letters, journal entries, telegrams, and notes. Ralph Trilipush and Harold Ferrell speak from their viewpoints most often, with Margaret's viewpoint interspersed with Ralph's.

Ferrell writes from his notes when quoting the people he interviews while on the trail of Paul Caldwell. He may or may not be quoting accurately, but the tone does change in a convincing enough manner. Mrs. Hoyt does not sound the same as Catherine Barry. When Ralph quotes, he obviously injects tone and may invent whole conversations. The world according to Ralph is often not the same world that others experience.

Margaret and Ferrell give different takes on the same situation, but enough detail corresponds that the reader knows what had happened. A similar thing occurs between Ralph and Ferrell, but the accounts from each are worlds apart. Since Ralph lives...