What is the typical narrative point of view utilized in Daniel Defoe's criminal picaresque fiction, and what moral tension does it create for the reader?

Correct answer: First-person retrospect by an older, reformed self, mixing vivid crime with penitence

Defoe uses a first-person retrospective voice, meaning the story is told by an older, wealthy, and reformed criminal looking back on their wild youth. This creates a fascinating tension because the reader is treated to salacious, highly detailed descriptions of thefts and schemes, which are then quickly framed by brief paragraphs of moral regret and spiritual reflection.