How does nature shape this novel?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Qu. How does nature shape this novel?

The key way in which nature shapes this novel, is through the reoccurring theme of snow. The snow symbolises the Islanders moral debates with deciding what is right and what is wrong. This is demonstrated in the following quote-

'When they looked out into the whiteness of the world the wind flung it sharply at their narrowed eyes and foreshortened their view of everything.' I think this shows how the Islanders attempt to discover truth, (when they look out), only to find themselves faced with even more questions to ask themselves and no answers. In this way, snow hides the truth of the world.

I think the latter part of the quote relates to the intolerance of the Island, called the 'Curse of the Island'. The people of the Island are small-minded and judgemental, they cannot see through the outer exterior, to the inner person. They narrow their eyes, and try to forget the rest of the world exists. In this way, I think the snow represents the Islands view of the Japanese, and the blanket of snow cannot be lifted to discover the truth, which lies