Is Waiyaki a tragic hero? If so, what leads to his downfall, and which person (or abstract force) is the most likely antagonist? Include at least three examples from the text to support your analysis.

What role does romance play in highlighting the novel’s focus on cultural and communal preservation?

To what extent are the novel’s events portrayed to be fated and inevitable? Who has the most agency in the novel, and who is the most deeply trapped by doctrine or cultural expectations?