Point of View

The novel is told from Oskar Matzerath's point of view, although Oskar believes he has access to events outside his direct experience, through his drum. Oskar is both the protagonist of the novel and an extremely unreliable narrator. Oskar asserts that he willfully decided to stop growing on his third birthday in order to avoid the adult responsibilities of operating the family business. He insists that he had a carnal affair with Maria during their first summer together, and that Kurt is his biological son. Oskar insists that he decide to grow again after his father's funeral.

The point of view shifts away from Oskar briefly, and tellingly, twice. First, Oskar's joint pain causes him to dictate his autobiography to his male nurse, Bruno. Then, during the narration of Oskar's arrest, the point of view shifts briefly to Oskar's friend and accuser Vittlar. From these two...