Genre
Historical fiction
Setting and Context
The novel is set on the fictional reservation of Dark River on the coast of Washington State, as well as in Vietnam and Washington D.C.
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is written from a third-person point of view but closely follows the thoughts and feelings of Thomas, Ruth, and Lin.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the novel is mystical and ruminative. The mood is somber and tense.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Thomas is the protagonist of the novel. Dwight is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel is Thomas struggling to return to himself after Vietnam.
Climax
The climax of the novel is when Thomas is killed by Dwight and then revived by the tribal elders.
Foreshadowing
Dwight's angry comments to Ruth foreshadow his murder of Marco, as he will clearly attempt to make her pay for going against him in the debate about the whale hunt.
Understatement
N/A
Allusions
The novel alludes to many real historical events surrounding Vietnam, particularly the visit to the Vietnam Veteran's War Memorial Wall.
Imagery
N/A
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
