A long narrative on the point of view

The story is written in the third person and the past tense, and the narrative is mostly limited to Pahom’s perspective. The main exceptions are when the story briefly shifts to focus on the Devil, as Pahom is never consciously aware of the Devil’s presence. Even the opening scene, which focuses on the two sisters, is arguably within Pahom’s perspective, as he is present to witness the conversation. The main narrative then follows Pahom’s experiences as he pursues land acquisition over a period of several years. The narration often enters Pahom’s perspective directly, in order to convey specific thoughts and emotions. These moments of interiority help to illustrate his pattern of greed, which is never permanently sated or reversed.

Despite the fact that Pahom is the point-of-view character, there is a distinct sense of division between his perspective and the reader’s perspective. Pahom’s perspective is defined by a single-minded pursuit of acquisition, which only grows more fervent the more land he acquires. Meanwhile, the narrative allows the reader to recognize the destructive aspects of Pahom’s thoughts and actions, which Pahom himself tragically cannot see. By the end of the story, it is clear to the reader that Pahom’s actions have been misguided, and that he would have been better served by serenity and gratitude. These divisions of perspective enable a cautionary tale like this story to articulate their morals.

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