Matthew Guzdial, Post One

Within the novel Primary Colors, the author uses the first-person narrative of Henry Burton. However, “Anonymous” is not limited by this decision because of a few key characteristics of Mr. Burton, the most important of which is his perceptiveness. Because of this characteristic, the author is able to transcend the usual bonds of first-person narration, giving us clues into the thoughts and wants of the other characters within the story.

A good example of this trait can be found near the end of chapter three, during the scene leading up to the first debate. In the scene, young Mr. Burton watches the governor and how he reacts to those around him. He tells the audience of how the governor seems to be driven crazy by Lawrence Harris’ solitude, seeming to become even more charming because of it.

This perceptiveness of the narrator, added in with the man’s political backing, allows the author to explain complex political ideas to the audience without much difficulty. A good example of this is in the later debate in chapter four, during the notorious Cashmere scandal. Mr. Burton catches the all-important use of the word ‘moral’ by Lawrence Harris. If the dialogue had been given straight, the audience would not have known the implications of the word. But, through the narrator’s musings, the meaning behind it was revealed.