comment on perspective

The novel is written in the first-person perspective, which is vital for the themes presented in the novel. Jack Gantos, as the narrator, is the subject of the book, and therefore is the key to many of the primary themes. Gantos is a reliable author, in that he is telling his own story, and any biases he has are against himself. It is his view of the world that the reader must understand in order to fully comprehend his decisions in the novel. It is through Gantos' own words that the reader sees the picture he paints of his thought process, his behaviors, and his opinions, making the entire story reliable and believable. If told in third person, the depth of Gantos' experiences wouldn't be nearly as poignant, and his story would hold far fewer lessons. Gantos is his own worst critic, and it is with humor and hindsight that he is able to really show readers the mistakes he made that changed his life, and allowed him to see his finest gift, his ability to write. By understanding where Gantos has been, one is able to better understand his choices for stories about children and his own reasons for writing.