Redcurrant Bushes

The redcurrant bushes in this novel represent people’s ability to make it through difficult times in their life. Mikkelína explains that no matter how harsh of a winter they have, the bushes still produce green leaves and plump red berries. Likewise, people can struggle through the hard times in their lives and still be happy when life is going their way. The best example of this is Margrét. She suffers through Grímur’s constant abuse for more than a decade, yet when Grímur is out of the picture for a few months, she is able to collect herself and enjoy her life.

Erlendur

Erlendur represents traditional Iceland. Born into the quiet rural life that many have come to associate with Iceland, Erlendur bonded with his surroundings and the stories people told each other. However, he and his family moved into...