Florida

Florida serves as the primary residence for the narrator in "Cloudland," a place where she is able to stay away from the mistakes of her past. In a way, Florida is a safe haven, far away from anything and anyone that may remind the narrator of her past, including New York and Maine. At times, the state also feels like a place of purgatory for her, where she is simply waiting out this chapter of her life without engaging with anyone. There is very little emotional or physical movement on her part once she is settled in, and the static element of her stay suits her personality.

However, though on the surface Florida may seem like a place that does not have the emotional danger of New York or Maine, it is just as threatening as either of those places for the narrator. While neighboring towns are close...