Importance of The Monster

Ishi often goes to his secret hiding place, Black Rock, to watch as the Monster winds through the mountains. The Monster is black and like a snake, smoke coming from its head. Many years later, Ishi sees what he comes to understand as a train up close. After the death of Ishi’s people, Ishi wanders from the wilderness and is taken on the Monster, or the train, to San Francisco to live in the Museum of Anthropology there.