The story is told from the third person omniscient perspective, which means that the narrator can relay not only the actions of the plot line, but also the thoughts and feelings of the characters involved. This helps the reader to understand the motivations of each character, as the plot line unfolds.

The setting for the story is twelfth century Sweden, a time period referred to as the Middle Ages in Europe, known for its severe religious and legal practices. Sometimes barbaric, the people of the time period lived in fear of punishment from local authorities, who were also sometimes leaders of the Catholic Church. The expulsion of the Robber family is one such incident, where the entire family is banished from the town due to the act of the father. The adoption of the word, "Robber," in front of their names was another form of...