Point of View

Even though no specific location is ever mentioned, the entire novel takes place somewhere in the "semi-arctic" north. The novel takes place during the winter, when Russel, his father and other Eskimos live in a small government village. From the novel, it is clear that winters in the frozen north can be harsh and forbidding. Outside the walls of Russel's tiny government village, there are blizzards and fog, floating ice and howling winds. And although Russel's exact location is unknown, there are other features which might help a reader identify the character's whereabouts. The narrative talks about tundra and the wildlife found there. There are ptarmigan, foxes, bears, seals, walruses and caribou in the wilderness of the north. Also, in the distant past, the woolly mammoth roamed the land where Russel Susskit's Eskimo ancestors hunted. Also, the Aurora Borealis is mentioned. One can safely assume that...