I have this lousy memory because of my accident, but if you were to tell me a neat story, I’d be able to tell it back to you years from now, word for word.
The “accident” referred to here is a central element of the narrative, but remains a mystery for some time. It is intensely tied to Larry’s memory because it is only through flashes of Larry’s recall that the traumatic events of his past can be pieced together into a coherent story.
I remembered my dad taking me in the shed to teach me how to play the drum. I got a chill in the expanding second and scrambled to divert the attention away from me.
Larry’s narration is filled with metaphor and figurative imagery. Eventually it becomes apparent that much of this language is used purposely as a way for Larry to deal with memories he is not emotionally prepared to confront on a literal basis. Events of significance and emotions of import can be gleaned from the narrative by the attentive reader, but those wanting just the facts may occasionally be frustrated.
If you’ve ever heard “High School Confidential” by Rough Trade, it was written for Juliet Hope.
This observation about the love of Larry’s life says much. For one thing, anyone familiar with the song will instantly get an image of Juliet that persists right on through to the end of the story. For another, neither Rough Trade nor “High School Confidential” is like the other songs or bands mentioned in the novel: “Jump” by Van Halen, for instance. That Larry would reference such a song—obscure to most, but a kind of anthem to some—while admitting that he wasn’t really all that familiar with AC/DC is highly suggestive of his personality, especially in juxtaposition to the other characters.
“Firefighters Find Rae Man in Burning House, Fort Rae, N.W.T.”
After first introducing himself in the first person, the next section of the book, subtitled “THEM” commences with this headline and the subsequent story about how firefighters discovered a victim they believe died while trying to escape. The cause of the fire had yet to be determined. This is the first mention of fire in the book and from this point on, imagery associated with fire will dominate. It is also an unusual departure from the first-person narrative of Larry.
