First-Person
Jack is the real selling point of Room. His wide-eyed five-year-old innocence and curiosity brings a freshness to this story… and makes it bearable. If it were told from Ma's point of view, we'd probably be suicidal. She has to lean on her faith to give her hope to survive, and some days she can't do it. But Jack, as a child, tackles every day as though it is glorious and wonderful.
Without Jack, not only would the story be even harder to read, but it would feel just like any other true crime story you see on TV. Sad that we live in a world where Room feels familiar, isn't it? Through Jack's eyes, we see the horrors of the world in a different light. Heck, we see the whole world in a different light, and it makes this sick, sad world we live in seem like a wonderful place to be. Maybe Jack shows us the potential our world has to be a better place, while at the same time showing us how horrible it is that an innocent child could ever be in these horrific circumstances.