"The Amish Farmer" by Bourjaly

"The Amish Farmer" is a powerful tale that expresses the importance of point of view. Just as the plaintiff and defendant's testimonies create new perspectives to a court case, the narrator brings new meaning to his story with his point of view. The narrator of "The Amish Farmer", Vance, is a conflicted narrator. Although his point of view seems emotionally unattached and he refers to himself merely as the "raconteur" of the story, the narrator is torn between his true nature, similar to Noel's, and his desire to be like Daniel.
There are many instances in "The Amish Farmer" that suggest Vance is depicting Noel in the story as he would if he were the main character. This is evident at the beginning of Vance's tale. …