The Reservation

The entirety of the collection takes place on the Penobscot reservation in southern Maine. It is where David and his family make their home, as well as where Dee and Fellis spend most of their time. Much attention is paid to the natural beauty of the reservation, as Talty frequently digresses into florid descriptions of the sky and the air, but it is also presented in a difficult light. The reservation is remote, and is marked by extreme poverty; many of the homes are not well-kept, and some people, like Ralph Nelson, live in piles of trash. It also only has one way in and out, which contributes to its role as an isolating and entrapping location in the lives of the collection's characters.

Overtown

Overtown is a small Maine community located across the river from the Penobscot reservation. It is home to several institutions, including a...