The Playground

As O observes it on his first day, the playground is an average-looking, simple and suburban affair, only distinguished by a sand pit and wooden pirate ship. However, it is the primary setting of the novel, the space where the main drama and violence takes place. The playground’s patina of innocence is similar to that of the children themselves, whom the adults persist in viewing as naïve even as they act out the same romantic, political dramas of their elders.

The Cafeteria

Compared to the chaos of the playground, the cafeteria is a well-regulated space where the children sit according to their rigid hierarchy of popularity and gender. For O, finding a place to sit on his first day is one of the greatest challenges he faces at a new school. However, much to his surprise he is given too many places to sit, and...