Comment on theme

The theme of independence also runs through the novel, as an offshoot of a larger theme which explores an individual's life and how this is tied to the upkeep and continuity of traditions. At the end of the novel, Thorfinn and Sophie vow to return to a traditional way of life. Their decision goes against many contemporary values held by many individuals in European and North American society. Sophie is a character who speaks her own mind and acts as she wishes. Thorfinn, on the other hand, has had to leave the island completely, spend time in the military and as a prisoner of war, and experience several years as a writer in Edinburgh before returning to his island home and making a strong commitment to the traditional Orkney way of life.