“Winter collapsed on us that year. It knelt down, exhausted, and stayed. In the middle of December so much snow fell the gym roof buckled and school was canceled for a week.”

This quote introduces the inescapable presence of nature within the novel. Winter, especially, is a persistent element that contributes to the icy emotional atmosphere and serves multiple symbolic functions. Here, winter is suffocating; it traps people, alters their courses, and is entirely unpredictable. In personifying winter, the passage also portrays the power of nature as perhaps even overpowering itself—winter, having held itself off long enough, bears down upon the people of Loose River all at once, fatigued. This establishes the ways in which Fridlund will employ natural imagery throughout the novel to manipulate the tone and the significant symbolic purpose it can serve.

“But the term alpha—evolved to describe captive animals—is still misleading. An alpha animal may be alpha only at certain times for a specific reason […] Wolves have nothing at all to do with humans, actually. If they can help it, they avoid them.”

Linda’s fixation on wolves is a device for plot and character development. Her interest in wolves and subsequent self-asserted authority on the matter into adulthood brings her closer to others (Mr. Grierson) while keeping them at a safe distance (Rom). She uses her knowledge—of wolves, of the woods, etc.—to avoid having to speak about humans and their emotions. Throughout the text, the author likens Linda to wolves, or dogs. Here, the quote harkens to Linda’s upbringing in a commune where she is essentially a captive creature, and it is her isolation which has hindered her ability to communicate effectively with others.