The novel is set on San Piedro Island, a small island north of Puget Sound in the Washington state area. The island setting is fitting in several ways. The people of San Piedro Island have everything they need on the island; they are self-sufficient. Additionally, on a small island like San Piedro everyone knows everyone else. This works well in a novel where history and relationships are integral to the story. The islanders are not …showed first 75 words of 1056 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1056 total…Environment the character is in to add to particular scenes, with the description relating to how the character feels about the experience. The overall feeling of independent isolation amongst the islanders is carried throughout the whole novel from the environment. The weather is used to add underlying messages to certain themes in the novel. The whole theme of the weather is based on being a symbol for the chance, uncontrollable incidents that affect human lives.