Point of View

The point of view of the novel is primarily that of the omniscient narrator. Although he or she is not named, the reader has the sense that the narrator is, if not one of the characters, someone so familiar with the whaling/sealing business that their words convey an authenticity both with the setting and with the rough hewn (even psychopathic) characters. This easy familiarity brings the story to life in the present moment and imparts a sense of immediacy about all aspects of the story.

The point of view in the historical present is that of Sumner. In his drug use, pacifism, and unselfishness, Sumner is a type easily recognizable as post-hippie, while the personalities of most of the other men seem archaic and anachronistic. Therefore, the contemporary reader probably can relate to Sumner's point of view better than that of the other characters...