Point of View

Ballard deploys a third-person limited point of view throughout the novel. The narration attaches itself to the perspective of Kerans, never deviating from this pose. The limited nature of this perspective is a wise one for Ballard, as it allows him to maintain both a sense of intrigue and a certain subjectivity; The Drowned World is a rare instance in which the third-person narrator feels, if not unreliable, then at least biased by Kerans' perspective on his own actions. This quality is essential for the novel to achieve its intended goals; the reader needs to understand how totally Kerans believes he ought to linger in the lagoon, journey southward, and abandon structured society in order to be convinced of his ultimate choice to do all of these things, none of which are rational. Indeed, Ballard is moved by the tension between instinct and rational thought...