You're all right. New gig, couple months, knee deep in a river. What could be better?
-- Jack (Prologue)

Importance: Shortly after arriving at Kingfisher Lodge, Jack tries to convince himself that he has made the right decision in leaving his father's ranch for the season. In this closing moment from the novel's opening section, the narrator veers towards Jack's emotional center. The way in which Jack talks to himself in this passage gestures towards his deeper psychological complexities, and thus infuses the narrative with subtextual tension. Iterations of these lines recur throughout the narrative, and illustrate when Jack is attempting to balance the conflicts of his inner and outer worlds. The moment also speaks to the author's explorations regarding grief and guilt.

Was it menacing? It was just a camera. But he felt violated.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: On Jack's first afternoon at the lodge, he decides to go fishing in order to settle himself. While on...