Point of View

The novel is written entirely from Billy’s first-person perspective. Thus, all the developments and complications are filtered through Billy’s own views and emotional responses. As a young teenager, Billy has strong emotional responses to events in the novel, but he is not very well attuned to these responses. Thus, the reader must interpret the significances of various words, actions, and feelings that Billy displays. For example, although Billy does not immediately recognize his own feelings for Mary, the reader can easily infer that Billy’s desire to spend more time with Mary is at least partially motivated by a strong sense of affection and affinity between the characters.

The use of Billy’s perspective also helps to provide the reader with a sense of empathy as Billy undergoes a rather difficult and awkward journey of maturation. The plot is initially motivated by the...