Catherine suggests that memories are real, tangible objects, just like mountains and stones: “‘Scarcely a trace anymore,’ said my sister, ‘except the river and the mountains and the stones and their memories’” (81). Examine the ways in which the heaviness of memories weighs on individuals in the text. 

Dogs are a constant presence throughout the history of the clann Chalum Ruaidh. How do the characters share the qualities of the dogs, and how do the dogs reflect the qualities (and the failings) of their owners?

Cape Breton is the home of clann Chalum Ruaidh. Examine the imagery used to describe the location in the novel, particularly with regard to the natural features of the landscape.