Freighter

At the start of the novel, Boulder is working on a boat. It is a freighter, rather than a cruise vessel. Although Boulder does not know the crew and is not getting paid, the arrangement makes her feel free. She loves the small galley kitchen in which she works. She enjoys playing chess, developing new recipes, and getting “the crew drunk and fat” (21). While on the freighter, Boulder's life has no exact trajectory for the future and no real grounding in the present. Rather than unsettling her, these aspects of her life on board the boat, comfort and liberate Boulder. The place therefore becomes symbolic of freedom throughout the years of Boulder's life after leaving this post.

Chaitén

Chaitén is the town in Chilé where Boulder meets Samsa. Her boat has docked here for a time. Boulder therefore decides to rent a room in a woman's...