Who is Jack Burdette? Why does his return to Holt, Colorado cause so much anger and frustration in the first chapter of the book? Why does the author go back to the beginning of Jack's story in the second chapter, telling his life story from his birth forward? What does this tell the reader about the importance of Jack Burdette in this novel?

Who is the narrator of the novel? When does the reader learn who this man is? When does the reader learn this man's name? Why does the narrator tell his story in the way in which he does? Why does the narrator not introduce himself in the first chapter of the book? In what way does the narrator's life parallel Jack Burdette's? Does the author create this parallel on purpose and if so, what purpose does this serve?

Who is Wanda...