Fugitive Pieces Character Analysis

The point of view used in the novel Fugitive Pieces is first person. The story is about Jakob Beer’s life, so it is more effective and realistic to use first person point of view. It creates a feeling of a reliable narrator. But the author also has another character, Ben, write from his point of view near the end. This is because the author wants Jakob to be seen as a character in the book, not only a narrator who talks about his life, and helps develop the reliability of the story. Having the second narrator, we can point out if any of the facts read from the previous chapters are right or wrong. We can make connections between the two narrators, and see if both facts are related or not.

Jakob Beer knows everything that occurs in his life,

He wants to learn about everything that he can. He speaks in a confident tone, where it’s hard to recognize any ignorance or biased phrase in the context. “When the soldiers arrived they examined the perfectly preserved clay bowls’ they held the glass beads, the bronze and amber bracelets, before smashing them on the floor” (6). This quote proves that he speaks the facts, and says what he saw without doubt. He is a knowledgeable kid, and knows very well about the world around him. This is because he was raised by Athos, who gave him a chance to live freely, and taught him the truth about the world. The narrator Jakob, is a reliable because he talks about the both good and bad in the story, and explains both with great details. Plus, it makes it easier to understand the story knowing he’s reliable. Nevertheless, for the last part of the book, Ben is also a reliable character. This is because he speaks in a respectful tone. Everything he says is full of facts and has many details to back them up. “Her light- brown hair or her dark- brown eyes or her small hand disappearing into the shoulders of her dress to adjust a strap” (175). This quotes proves that Ben explains every little detail, without leaving one tiny thing out, even if it’s about someone he just saw or met. He is a well-respected man, and only tells the truth. With or without having Ben narrating the ending, the story would have ended up the same way. The narrator