Point of View

The use of point of view in the novel centers Korin’s experience while continually measuring it against the perspectives of others. The dominant viewpoint is Korin’s: the reader is immersed in his turbulent thoughts, his conviction that he is pursuing a world-altering mission, and his overwhelming need to retell his past. His perceptions dominate the narrative, creating the impression of a reality governed by signs, revelations, and urgent tasks. At the same time, the narration signals that his understanding of events cannot be taken at face value. His thoughts are shaped by fixation and disorder, and his interpretation of each moment is driven by the intensity of his internal world rather than by any stable sense of what is happening around him.

To counterbalance this, the novel incorporates a series of external viewpoints that function as a way to demonstrate to the reader...