Jane's Diary/Journal

Because of her emotionally withdrawn nature, Jane's diary and journal are portals into her emotional landscape. They are used by Nelson throughout the book to establish a certain theme and reveal some insight into the mind of her dead aunt.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is where Jane enrolls for her higher education, and where she is able to express her individuality and political freedom for the first time. The University is also where her relationship with Barb improves and where she meets Phil for the first time as a student in his Economics class.

Muskegon, Michigan

The birthplace of Jane and Barb, Muskegon is where the family's Swedish ancestors came in the early twentieth century to work in factories. Jane longs to leave the suffocating nature of her home in Muskegon and finally able to do so.

The Michigan Murders

The...