Ghent

The capital city of East Flanders, the city of Ghent is the birthplace of the narrator and his grandfather, Urbain Martien. It is the setting of Urbain's childhood, his life as the child of a poor family, and where he meets the love of his life, Maria Emelia Ghys. As a city in Flanders, Dutch is the primary language and the conflict between Dutch speakers and the French bourgeoisie is a key part of Urbain's life.

Liverpool

Urbain comes here to recuperate after his first injury in battle, and while wandering here, he finds the church where his father, Franciscus, was commissioned to paint. He sees an image of himself in the Biblical paintings and his love for painting and art is evoked, along with memories of his father.

Yser

The site of an elongated battle between the Belgians and Germans, the river is key to stemming the...