by Pat Conroy

Framed by a series of flashbacks, The Prince of Tides actually takes place in two separate settings and two different eras. When Tom Wingo visits his sister's psychologist in modern-day New York, he only intends to provide emotional support for Savannah. Through his retelling of childhood memories, however, Tom uncovers a past that hurt both his sister and himself. Conroy, born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1945, recalls the Southern setting of his own past as he records the Wingos' childhood in the small town of Colleton, South Carolina.

Events in History at the Time of the Novel

Rural South Carolina life. Much of the novel focuses on a contrast between the lazy pace of a small town in South Carolina and the frenetic energy of New York City. Even after spending a summer discovering New York, its main character opts...