The unnamed Narrator is one of the novel’s three main characters, and the voice of all but three of the novel’s chapters. His first-person account relates the Narrator’s experiences on the Phoenix of the Sky Mountain as memories recalled and recorded long after the events themselves occurred. This reflects the author’s retrospective perspective on his own re-education, establishing the Narrator as a stand-in for the young Dai in this semi-autobiographical work of fiction.

The novel functions as a coming-of-age narrative for the Narrator, who is deeply affected by the hardships he endures and the forbidden books he reads. Through literature, he is able to access the world beyond his own meager experiences under the oppressive Chinese Communist Party’s regime. The novel Jean-Christophe in particular helps him to develop a sense of individual importance, self-preservation, and an ambition to stand up for his beliefs even against the world. This character development illustrates The Transformative Influence of Literature, which is echoed in the literary allusions and references made throughout his account. Through the books, the narrator improves his storytelling ability and fuels his passion for stories, although he remains quite passive.