Loneliness and Isolation

The novel's most apparent and predominant theme is loneliness. Each of the main characters experiences this emotion. Some characters experience it from the opening of the novel, and other characters encounter it as the novel progresses.

The first character encountered, Tom Guthrie, is facing the loss of his wife. It is not a loss through death or initially physical distance, but it is a loss nonetheless. His wife, Ella, is also suffering from feelings of isolation. Her depression has left her in a state where she feels foreign to everyone including herself.

Other characters, such as the McPheron brothers, encounter loneliness as the novel progresses. They become fond of Victoria Roubideaux, and then she departs for a time. The McPheron brothers are familiar with feelings of loneliness. When they were teenagers they lost both parents in an automobile accident. This familiarity with loneliness does not lessen...