Who has a childhood, she often said, in these parts?
-- Caroline Middey (Section 1, Part I, page 22 paragraph 1)

Importance: Speaking to Talmadge, Caroline underscores the sad truth of living in the rural Pacific Northwest. Few children have a real childhood, as life from an early age is dependent upon hard work and survival. There is little time for fun and games of youth. Jane and Della especially, however, have had a difficult time, being barbarically forced into prostitution at so young an age.

It was vulgar, he thought, to shoot a deer in the orchard.
-- Narrator (Section 1, Part I, page 26 paragraph 2)

Importance: Talmadge, observing deer in his orchard, knows that others will shoot deer in their orchards. But Talmadge himself will not. Talmadge’s observation is heavily symbolic: The deer are not actual deer, but are Jane and Della. As thieves, most others would turn them in. Talmadge will not. Like deer, Jane and Della appear in his orchard – but need far more than just an...