Point of View

This novel is told from the viewpoint of a third person narrator. This narrator focuses on Mallarino. By keeping this focus, the narrator knows his thoughts, feelings, and emotions of Mallarino. The use of a third person narrator keeps a distance between Mallarino and the reader. If it were told in the first person, the reader might develop too close a connection to Mallarino.

The focus on Mallarino is appropriate since the story is about his discovery of himself and his ability to destroy a person’s reputation. Mallarino realizes that he can destroy a person by creating a caricature that portrays an untruth.

Language and Meaning

Significant about this novel is that it is a translation from Spanish. Many of the names in this novel are Spanish names. Some of the words, like aguardiente, a Spanish word for high volume alcohol, has no translation...