Instead, they leaned in and whispered a warning: 'I wouldn't go out on the road tonight. Someone saw the rogarou just this Wednesday, leaning against the stop sign, sharpening his claws with the jawbone of a child.'”
-- Narrator (Prologue )

Importance: The rogarou is a symbol of fear and danger. In this scene, the narrator makes the point that the old women do not warn youngsters about the real dangers they could face, but they warn that they might encounter a rogarou. They also warn young men not to become a rogarou. These are examples of the importance of culture, and it also sets the stage for the possibility that something terrible happened to Victor.

Since Victor had been gone she felt like whatever she was doing wasn't the thing she was supposed to be doing.”
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: This is one example of how deeply Joan loves Victor. She is lost without him, and this...