The judge as narrator

[Mark]

The novel is narrated by a high court judge and former childhood friend of the comedian, who has been invited specially to the performance – how does the author use the narrator to create a sense of tension in the novel? Question from The Man Booker Prize Readers' Guide https://themanbookerprize.com/sites/m...

[Mark]

My take:

The judge considers his own short-comings in failing to take a risk and support Dov in the camp, especially when the sergeant came to get him. The judge sits in the audience waiting for Dov to call him out for his cowardice before the people there, but it never comes. The author forces the reader to anticipate Dov seeking revenge because the judge feels he earned Dov's contempt.