Stories

Stories and the impact that stories have on people’s lives as a way of recording history, remembering the present and aiding in the healing process is an important theme in this novel. The entire book is written as a story. It is a frame story in the aspect that the story of the lives of the people in Neawanaka includes a variety of individual stories along with the group story. These stories teach important lessons about one’s past, help a person connect with their ancestors and can even help those who hear the stories to learn, grow and heal.

One of the first aspects of importance about stories is that they can teach a person about their past and their family’s past. Daniel asks his grandfather and his father for stories about his family’s past. He wants to know how his parents...