Implicit topic switching


I'm wondering -- is something like

> ジョンが迷っていると気づいたら、何とかしないと、と。 **ジョンなら絶対に出来る、と言った瞬間、突然ハンドルをつかんで引いた。**
> その痛烈な性格の変化は今でも鮮明に覚えている。

considered sloppy writing, or is it acceptable?

These are the intended topics/subjects:

> （私は）ジョンが迷っていると気づいたら、何とかしないと、と。
> **（私が）ジョンなら絶対に出来る、と言った瞬間、（ジョンは）突然ハンドルをつかんで引いた。** （私は）その痛烈な性格の変化は今でも鮮明に覚えている。

Namely, in the bolded sentence, the topic switches from 私 to ジョン, made
especially confusing due to the subject of the embedded sentence under 瞬間
being 私, in addition to the surrounding sentences having 私 as their topic.

In English fiction, it's not uncommon to intentionally make the reader think
about who is doing or saying what by leaving things more ambiguous than one
normally would. I assume it's the same with Japanese fiction, but I'm
wondering if this specific method doing of it is considered acceptable.




That is totally normal and acceptable, which is exactly why you as well as
others understood the sentence itself and the passage.

If a "person" performs an unexpected action the moment you have made a
statement, that person would **_not_** be yourself nearly 100% of the time,
would it? Thus, the author is successfully communicating with the readers.

In addition, the sentence that follows backs up the reader's understanding of
the **bolded** sentence because one would **_not_** say 「その **痛烈な** 性格の変化」 to
describe a change in one's own character.

Generally speaking, placing a subject where it can be omitted for the reader
comprehension could easily break the rhythm and flow of the writing, which any
professional writer would like to avoid doing.




That is totally normal and acceptable, which is exactly why you as well as
others understood the sentence itself and the passage.

If a "person" performs an unexpected action the moment you have made a
statement, that person would **_not_** be yourself nearly 100% of the time,
would it? Thus, the author is successfully communicating with the readers.

In addition, the sentence that follows backs up the reader's understanding of
the **bolded** sentence because one would **_not_** say 「その **痛烈な** 性格の変化」 to
describe a change in one's own character.

Generally speaking, placing a subject where it can be omitted for the reader
comprehension could easily break the rhythm and flow of the writing, which any
professional writer would like to avoid doing.

