Point of View

Burr: A Novel is told from the first person perspective of the narrator, Charlie, when he is present. Vidal also chooses to use first person perspective during the memoirs of Aaron Burr, where Burr is first person narrator. This use of two separate first person points of view is vital to the understanding of the theme of truth being somewhere between a belief held and a belief rejected. Burr's perspective during his memoirs is tempered by Charlie's perspective when discussing the events either with Burr himself or someone else who played a part in the events. The reader is allowed to see inside the hearts of these two characters in a very unique way, and the result is the discovery that neither narrator is totally reliable. Their views are biased by their emotions and experiences, much like a real human would be. Charlie firmly believes that...