“I had all this great research, but when you’re trying to figure out something that happened in history, it’s like a big, messed-up puzzle.”

Nora’s description of her efforts to write a book about Alcatraz introduces several key ideas explored in the novel: the importance of history and its relevance to contemporary life, and the importance of exploring events from many different perspectives even though this is often a difficult task. It is a metaphor for the materials that form the narrative, as each source is a puzzle piece essential for understanding the bigger picture behind the events the characters experience.

“Maybe I’ll include a flash drive of audio recordings for this time capsule project so you can hear our important conversations about what brand of hot dog they should get for the Fourth of July Cookout.”

Lizzie’s early notes about what she might include in the time capsule demonstrate her boredom with the minor controversies that concern the residents of Wolf Creek, along with her sarcastic and sometimes cynical tone. They show that Lizzie, like Nora, views the town as a place where nothing more exciting than an argument over hot dogs ever happens; together, the perspectives use dramatic irony to foreshadow the excitement that follows.

“He wrote his way off that island. Wrote his way out […] You’ve always been pretty good with words, so maybe you can write your way out, too. You never know.”

One of Elidee’s first entries in the time capsule, her letter demonstrates her admiration for the musical Hamilton, the power of language, and her older brother. These three elements are central to her character.