Oskar performs a dual role in The Tin Drum. He is the narrator of the novel and also the protagonist. For most of the novel, however, there is a clear distinction between the young Oskar and the mature Oskar. The young Oskar is a quiet but determined young man who communicates with the world through his playing of a tin drum, initially refusing to grow beyond the age of three years old. Throughout the course of his life, Oskar the character hammers away at his drums in an attempt to make sense of a world which has rapidly descended into chaos. Though he is born with a fully conscious mind, Oskar does not feel connected to the world around him. He is reticent to speak with people, preferring to play his drum instead.

In this sense, Oskar the character is disconnected from the world. He speaks a different language, using a different tool, and then struggles to understand why he feels no connection with those around him. At the same time, he possesses unique abilities. He can use his voice to shatter glass, an astonishing and absurd power which is regarded largely as a party trick or a nuisance by those around him.