Point of View

The story is written in first person from the exclusive perspective of John James Todd. This limited perspective means the reader is in the dark as to the thoughts and motives of anyone other than John. An important example of this limitation is seen in John's relationship with his father, Innes Todd. John believes his father hates him because John is a constant reminder of the death of his mother. John's mother died in childbirth. John has some guilt over that and he believes his father hates him because of it. It seems this may not be the case at all. John's father is a rather distant man with everyone. He is clinical in his thoughts and actions and this distance doesn't seem to be limited to John. Innes might have been a different man if he hadn't lost his wife, but there is no real...