Steppenwolf Narrator:

First Person (Central Narrator)

The narrator of the body of Steppenwolf is none other than the Steppenwolf himself: bet you didn't know wolves could talk, much less write. He's the big, bad wolf in the novel, and pretty much all the action revolves around him. He starts off letting us know just what a grump he is:

The day had gone by just as days go by. I had killed it in accordance with my primitive and retiring way of life. I had worked for an hour or two and perused the pages of old books. I had had pains for two hours, as elderly people do. I had taken a powder and been very glad when the pains consented to disappear. I had lain in a hot bath and absorbed its kindly warmth. (1)

And on, and on, and on. That reminds us… we need to call our grandma. Ol' Steppy makes the elderly sound melancholy. But see how all that "I" talk lets us know that the focus is going to be on the narrator and his life?

And screech: put the brakes on. We can't forget to bring the other narrator along for the ride. Check out the First Person (Peripheral Narrator) in the preface. He's a kid who doesn't even make an appearance in the body of the novel (except when his aunt mentions him) but he's the one who is responsible for bringing the book to us.

The narrator of the preface is letting us know what's going on long after the events in Harry's records take place. He also tells us that he's not sure that the record is, well, true. Is he the voice of reason or a naysayer? You be the judge.

In some ways the framing device of the preface gives us a little something to hold on to—it makes Harry Haller's records seem somehow more "authentic" and believable.

Also, it gives us information about Harry that we wouldn't be able to get from him directly. We learn what Harry seems like to a "normal" person, and we also get confirmation for his story— he really was a drunk who had a hard time keeping his girlfriend… but a nice, studious guy at the same time.