Point of View

The novel Infinite Jest contains a multitude of characters and therefore the novel is told from many different points of view. Some of the main protagonists include Hal Incandenza, Orin Incandenza, Remy Marathe, Helen Steeply, Joelle van Dyne, and Don Gately. Much of the narration follows these characters. The style of narration varies from first-person, limited narration, to third-person, omniscient narration. The first tactic of first-person and limited narration, is used with only a few characters, such as Hal Incandenza. This technique gives the reader a better sense of such characters' isolation and feelings of alienation from the people around them. The first-person narrator is also used sporadically with nameless characters, usually as a one time event. For the majority of the novel, the narrator is third-person omniscient, meaning the narrator is distant and not involved in the direction of the action. However, the narrator is...