Point of View

The novel is written from the first-person point of view of Patson, the narrator. Patson is a young person on the brink between adolescence and adulthood. He is anxious to prove himself, but he is also sure that he knows more than his father does about what is best for the family to do. He believes this even though he really does not know how the world works. This is demonstrated by how little he knows about the police and mining and about the theft and bribery that occur. He is also unaware of the corruption that is all around them.

At the beginning of the novel, Patson is on a quest for more girazi so he can amass enough wealth to get his family all that he wants them to have. He believes that he is acting as a man. This point of view...