Reading 1001 discussion

How would you characterize the relationship between the main character (originally called Tod Friendly) and the narrator of the novel?
Is the narrator reliable?
How does having a narrator who cannot influence events effect the story?

I would classify the narrator as Tod's conscience or soul I also got the impression that this the story is taken at the moment of death when life flashes before the dying persons eyes and the "soul" gets to see it all.

I would say the narrator is reliable as it doesn't know what happened in the past it has no reason to lie or to hide things.

The narrator is impotent what has happened cannot be changed and while we experience the narrators feelings they have no bearing on the world outside.

The narrator is Tod's soul or conscience. I agree with Book but at what point is Tod's soul and person united.

I like what book has said above that this is the life flashing before the dying persons eyes.

I don't know how the narrator cannot know the past if he is Tod's soul. That part did not make sense to me.

Kristel wrote: "I don't know how the narrator cannot know the past if he is Tod's soul. That part did not make sense to me. "

The dust jacket identified him as a doppleganger living inside Tod, though I don't know what that's supposed to mean. I certainly didn't see the narrator as Tod's soul.