Nature is a motif in the book. The primary force of good in the world, the Word, is closely intertwined with nature and the natural order of things. Nest Freemark is the guardian of Sinnissippi Park, a sprawling forest area in Hopewell, Illinois. The park is a powerful place, one that has never been used for human habitation. The park in named for the Sinnissippi, a Native American tribe.