Hunting
Winter describes, "So on this day, close to the end of the hunting season, Treadway left his family at home, and so did the other men of Croydon Harbour. And so did Thomasina's daughter, Annabel, and husband, Graham Montague, to navigate the Beaver River in a white canoe." At Croydon Harbour, hunting is governed by the seasons ; hence, it does not take place any day. Men conduct the responsibility of hunting their families but Annabel violates the gender expectations when she goes hunting with her father.
Ice
Winter explains, “After a fortnight Treadway left to go hunting. It was one of the last days you could go white hunting. When the ice melted to a certain degree, when whiteness in the natural world decreased by a margin every hunter knew by an inner system of measurement, white hunting was no longer done.” Ice a significant motif which guides the hunters’ movements and decisions. It conceals them when they hunt .A decrease in the ice informs the hunters that they can no longer continue with the hunting.
Anatomy
Dr. Ho states, "The point… is to create a believable masculine anatomy. You can lay him on the operating table yourself if you like. I'll show you the exact procedure. We will show you how to wash your hands and arms and you can wear a mask and you can watch until the point where we do the surgery itself, if you think you can stand it." Anatomy is utilized when establishing gender. The doctor recommends a procedure which will make Wayne appear male and eliminate the confusion arising from double anatomies (feminine and masculine).The doctor resolves that it would be appropriate for Wayne to be masculine.
Winters
Winter writes, "The women did not wish away their husbands out of animosity- it was just that the endurable winters were all about hauling wood and saving every last piece of marrow and longing for the intimacy they imagined would exist when their husbands came home, all the while knowing the intimacy would always be imaginary." Winter conditions make the women to desire their husbands. Although they verbally fantasize about the non-existence of their husbands, deep-down they long for intimacy and love. The winter elicits the women's unconscious desires for their husband's warmth.
Caribou
Winter explains, “Annabel looked for the white caribou on every trip, and when Thomasina told her it might not be alive any more, or it might have gone back to its Artic tribe, her husband turned his face towards her and silently warned her not to stop their daughter from dreaming.” Annabel learns about the caribou from her father. The caribou is emblematic of hope which inspires Annabel and motivates her to go to the long hunting trips with her father. Graham prefers his daughter to keep dreaming about the caribou instead of losing her optimism which would diminish the pleasure she derives from the hunting trips.
