Oliver Wiswell

The narrator of a book plays an essential role in the understanding for a reader. It is there duty to tell their story without hampering the truth. They are the ones that are in control. As a result, the narrator must be unbiased so that they can provide the most honest account of the experiences. Oliver Wiswell, by Kenneth Roberts, is a story written in the uncommon perspective of a British loyalist. But due to his dependence on his father, and his emotions and personal experience getting in the way of his thinking, Oliver Wiswell cannot be trusted for his own narration. Oliver’s father, Seaton Wiswell, has a great impact on his decisions and thoughts. He was looked up to by Oliver, and Daniel Dulaney, one of Seaton’s colleagues, was bragged

During a short discussion with Oliver’s dad about how battles were won, his dad said that “battles are decided by luck,” but Oliver thought otherwise and was “sure battles were won by generalship; not luck.” (Roberts 83) Because of Oliver’s feelings of how great his father was, he didn’t dare to question him; therefore, Oliver didn’t comment against his dad over their differences in opinion. Oliver’s veneration for his dad and willingness to please him proves how loyal he is, but Oliver’s obedience is not solely responsible for his own opinions; it is also Seaton Wiswell’s decisions that he makes for Oliver that causes him to become less trustworthy too. One instance,

Oliver’s emotions, primarily anger, began to grow after the rebel mob evicted him and his sick dad out of his own home. Afterwards, the emotions of Oliver began to take control over him, and his words, feelings, and bias began to show. He described himself, at the time of his eviction, to be “in an icy rage at the witless cruelty of these misguided dolts, who were torturing a man who had proved himself as indomitable.” (Roberts 47) Oliver was obviously angry at the mob from his choice of words, which caused his judgement and way of thinking to become misguided too; therefore, it made him a less trustworthy because he wasn’t thinking straight and allowed his feelings to dictate the way he was narrating. Also, if Oliver wished to write about the truth, he would have to have a reasonable and unbiased mindset. How would Oliver be able to be truthful if he was in an “icy rage” with the “witless cruelty” of the “misguided dolts?” Oliver’s word choice used against the rebel mob belied his wishes to become a truthful writer. He let his personal experience and emotions get in the way of his