Point of View

The story is written in third person from a limited point of view. The perspective varies between several characters, usually focused on either Marcellus or Demetrius. This perspective is really the only option available to the author because Marcellus and Demetrius are not always together. The point of view is not overly limiting because the reader learns what happens once the characters reunite. For example, Demetrius tells Marcellus all about his adventures and his arrival in Jerusalem when they reunite.

There is also a lapse in the story as Marcellus and Demetrius return home. During that voyage, the reader is left to see the story through the eyes of Lucia, Marcellus' sister. When that occurs, the reader learns about the voyage from Demetrius as he explains Marcellus' illness to Gallio, Marcellus' father.

Setting

The story is set in ancient Rome, Greece and the region of Jerusalem...