America

The United States of America, with its long and established history of welcoming immigrants, racism, and a veneration of sports (particularly football) is the overall, broad-strokes setting for the narrative. All three elements play significant, albeit mostly implied, roles in shaping the story and the development of its themes.

Iron River, Minnesota

Iron River is the community to which Chan and his family move from Los Angeles. It is portrayed as being significantly smaller than L.A., somewhat rural, and almost entirely populated by white people. All these aspects of the town's civic identity play key defining roles in the development of the narrative, its characters, and its themes.

Moose Creek, Minnesota

Moose Creek is the name of a town with similar characteristics as Iron River. The two communities share a long-standing sports rivalry. This circumstantial element plays a key role in shaping several plot elements in the...