According to the text it was written by Jarom, who was the son of Enos and a descendant of Jacob, the brother of the prophet Nephi.
[4] Jarom further states that the small plates are written for the Lamanites, though he expresses little hope for them in their present condition.
[10] Due to the absence of events while maintaining a "narrative voice," Jarom's account has been called an "unnarration" by Elizabeth Fenton, who adopted the term from Robyn Warhol.
[11] Brigham Young University professor Donald W. Parry contends that the book follows an “AabcdBABBACDEEDCBAdbca” chiasmus pattern that repeats ideas of faith, destruction, and obedience to commandments, among other things.
[12] Professor of scripture, Nicholas Frederick, believes that according to Jarom, the Nephites keep the Law of Moses as a way to look forward to the then-future advent of Jesus.