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.