“First, I'll tell about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later.”
— Opening lines of the novel, setting the tone for the story.
Archivist's Choice
Canada
Richard Ford (2012)
Genre
Literary Fiction
Reading Time
12-15 hours
Key Themes
See below
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After his parents' bank robbery upends his ordinary life, fifteen-year-old Dell Parsons is sent to a remote Canadian town, where he struggles with his past and the threat of a killer.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Dell Parsons' life changes when his parents rob a bank in Montana. His twin sister, Berner, leaves, and a family friend takes Dell across the Canadian border. In Saskatchewan, Dell works for Arthur Remlinger, a dangerous American. Dell gets involved in Remlinger's illegal activities and sees him commit a double murder.
After the murders, Dell lives in fear. When the police investigate, Remlinger escapes, leaving Dell to deal with the aftermath. Dell eventually returns to the United States and lives a quiet life, forever marked by his youth. Decades later, he meets his sister Berner, finding some peace and understanding about their lives.
Reading time
12-15 hours
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Slow
Mood
Reflective, Melancholy, Atmospheric, Suspenseful
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy literary fiction with a strong sense of place, deep character study, and themes of identity, fate, and the loss of innocence.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer fast-paced thrillers or stories with clear-cut moral dilemmas and heroes.
Plot Summary
The Bank Robbery and Its Immediate Aftermath
Fifteen-year-old Dell Parsons' life in Great Falls, Montana, breaks apart when his parents, Bev and Neal Parsons, rob a bank. Neal, a former Air Force pilot, and Bev, a teacher, act out of desperation. Dell later realizes their reasons were more complicated. The robbery is clumsy, and they are arrested quickly. Dell and his twin sister, Berner, see the police arrive and the questioning. This event divides Dell's life into 'before' and 'after,' ending his childhood innocence and starting an uncertain future.
Berner's Flight and Dell's Relocation
After their parents' arrest, Dell and Berner are left alone. Berner, headstrong, decides to leave Great Falls without telling Dell. Alone, Dell meets Mrs. Feeley, a friend of his mother, who offers him a way out. She arranges for him to be smuggled across the Canadian border into Saskatchewan, saying it will give him a better life away from the scandal. Dell, feeling abandoned by his sister and unable to stay in Montana, agrees. He starts a journey into the unknown that further separates him from his old life.
Arrival in Fort Royal and Meeting Arthur Remlinger
After a long journey hidden in a car, Dell arrives in the desolate town of Fort Royal, Saskatchewan. He meets Arthur Remlinger, an American who owns a rundown hotel and runs an illegal hunting business. Remlinger seems quiet but has an unsettling presence, offering Dell a refuge. Dell works at the hotel, doing small tasks, and quickly learns about life in this isolated place. He watches Remlinger and his associates, including Charley Quarters, trying to understand his new guardian and the strange world.
Life at the Hotel and Remlinger's Influence
Dell settles into a routine at Remlinger's hotel, doing chores, serving drinks, and watching the hunters and locals. He attends a small school, but his real learning comes from Remlinger and his associates. Remlinger, despite his calm manner, seems dangerous and has a past he rarely talks about. Dell realizes Remlinger is involved in more than just hunting, suspecting illegal activities. He feels fear, respect, and a strange sense of belonging in Remlinger's world, far from his life in Montana.
The Arrival of the American Hunters
The calm of Remlinger's world ends when two American hunters, L.C. Smith and Frank Leach, arrive. They are loud and demanding, creating an uneasy atmosphere. Dell senses a deeper connection between these men and Remlinger, more than just hunting partners. The hunters' presence increases tension at the hotel, and Dell watches Remlinger's careful interactions with them. It becomes clear these men are involved in Remlinger's past, and their arrival signals trouble.
The Double Murder
The tension turns violent. Remlinger, with Charley Quarters' help, murders L.C. Smith and Frank Leach. Dell sees the aftermath and is forced to help dispose of the bodies in a frozen lake. This act shatters Dell's view of Remlinger, showing his capacity for violence. Dell becomes an unwilling accomplice, bound by fear and the shared secret. This event pulls Dell deeper into Remlinger's dark world, making him face the moral issues of his situation and the choices he has made.
Life After the Murders and Dell's Fear
After the murders, life at the hotel continues, but Dell's life has changed. He lives with high anxiety and fear, aware of Remlinger's dangerous nature and their secret. Dell tries to understand why the killings happened, suspecting they relate to Remlinger's past crimes in the United States. He watches Remlinger carefully, looking for clues and trying to understand the man who is his guardian and tormentor. Dell's isolation grows, as he cannot tell anyone what he saw.
The Police Investigation and Remlinger's Escape
The authorities eventually learn about the missing hunters. Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers arrive at the hotel to investigate. Remlinger, realizing his time is up, escapes, leaving Dell behind. Dell is left to face the police, who question him about Remlinger and the missing men. Though scared, Dell stays silent about the murders, protecting Remlinger, perhaps out of loyalty or self-preservation. He is again abandoned, left to deal with the results of Remlinger's actions.
Dell's Return to the US and Later Life
After the police investigation, Dell is considered a victim and sent back to the United States. He is placed in a foster home in Montana, a contrast to the freedom he had in Canada. Dell struggles to adjust to a normal life, forever changed by what he saw. He eventually goes to college, marries, and becomes an English teacher, trying to build a stable life. Despite his efforts, the memories of his parents' robbery and Remlinger's murders continue to affect him, shaping his view of the world. His past remains a strong, unspoken force in his adult life.
Reunion with Berner and Reflections
Many years later, Dell finally meets his twin sister, Berner, who left after their parents' arrest. Their reunion is hesitant, marked by their separate experiences and shared trauma. Berner has lived a wandering life. They discuss their parents' actions, Remlinger, and how these events affected their lives. Dell, as an adult, tells his story looking back, trying to understand the 'before' and 'after' of his life. He deals with forgiveness, understanding, and the lasting family bonds, even after betrayal and violence.
Principal Figures
Dell Parsons
The Protagonist
Dell transforms from an innocent, bewildered teenager into a reflective adult, haunted by his past but striving to make sense of it.
Neal Parsons
The Supporting
His arc is largely in the past, a catalyst for the main plot, but his actions continue to influence Dell's journey.
Bev Parsons
The Supporting
Her arc, like Neal's, is primarily as a catalyst, her actions shaping Dell's destiny.
Berner Parsons
The Supporting
Berner chooses radical independence and a transient life, eventually finding a way to reconnect with her brother.
Arthur Remlinger
The Antagonist/Supporting
Remlinger's arc is one of sustained menace, culminating in his violent crimes and subsequent escape, leaving a lasting impact on Dell.
Charley Quarters
The Supporting
Charley's arc is largely static, serving as Remlinger's loyal and dangerous enforcer.
Mrs. Feeley
The Supporting
Her arc is brief but pivotal, acting as the catalyst for Dell's journey to Canada.
L.C. Smith
The Mentioned
His arc is brief, serving as a victim whose death reveals Remlinger's violent capacity.
Frank Leach
The Mentioned
His arc is brief, serving as a victim whose death reveals Remlinger's violent capacity.
Themes & Insights
Identity and Self-Discovery
The novel explores how Dell's identity forms through traumatic experiences and the loss of his childhood. After his parents' crime and his exile, Dell must redefine himself. His time in Canada, with Remlinger, forces him to confront dark aspects of humanity and his own ability to observe and survive. Narrating his past as an adult helps him understand how these events shaped the person he became.
“First, I'll tell about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later.”
The Fragility of 'Normal' Life
Ford shows how quickly a normal, middle-class life can fall apart. Dell's parents' bank robbery shatters their family and his sense of stability. The events that follow, from his sister's departure to his exile and witnessing murder, show how fragile 'normalcy' can be. The novel shows how one catastrophic event can divide a life into 'before' and 'after,' leaving people to rebuild in a new reality.
“What happened to us was beyond explanation. It was life. And it was all we had.”
Betrayal and Abandonment
Dell experiences betrayal and abandonment repeatedly. His parents betray his trust and abandon him through their crime and imprisonment. His twin sister, Berner, abandons him by leaving. Even Arthur Remlinger, who offers him a strange refuge, ultimately abandons him when the police arrive. These experiences of being left alone force Dell to become resilient but also leave him with deep emotional scars, always seeking connection and stability.
“I was fifteen, and my life was over, and I didn't know if I'd ever see my sister again, or my parents, or if I even wanted to.”
The Nature of Evil and Moral Ambiguity
The novel looks at the nature of evil. Dell's parents' crime comes from desperation, not malice, but has devastating results. Arthur Remlinger shows a more calculated, cold evil, capable of violence while staying calm. Dell must face moral ambiguity, becoming an unwilling participant in murder. The book explores how ordinary people can be drawn into darkness and how hard it is to judge motives in extreme situations.
“Evil isn't always obvious. Sometimes it's just a man with a calm face and a bad past.”
The Influence of Landscape and Place
The vast, empty landscapes of Montana and Saskatchewan are important. They reflect Dell's isolation and uncertainty. The open spaces, harsh weather, and remote settings highlight the characters' vulnerability and the lawlessness of Remlinger's world. The environment shapes the characters' experiences and mental states, serving as a backdrop for Dell's self-discovery and the unfolding violence. The Canadian prairie symbolizes his exile and the starkness of his new reality.
“The flat, open land seemed to have no end, and it made you feel small and alone, like you were the only thing in the whole world.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
First-Person Retrospective Narration
An older Dell Parsons recounts his past, providing insight and reflection.
The entire novel is narrated by Dell Parsons as an adult, looking back on his teenage years. This allows for a dual perspective: the immediate, bewildered experience of the young Dell and the reflective, analytical understanding of the older Dell. This device enables the narrator to provide commentary, foreshadowing, and deeper psychological insights into the events and characters, especially regarding his parents' motives and Remlinger's nature. It adds layers of meaning, as Dell attempts to make sense of his past from a distance of many years.
The 'Before' and 'After' Divide
The bank robbery serves as a clear demarcation point, splitting Dell's life into two distinct phases.
From the very first sentence, Dell establishes a clear division in his life: 'First, I'll tell about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later.' This narrative structure emphasizes the irreversible impact of the bank robbery. It highlights the profound loss of innocence and the permanent alteration of his reality. This device underscores the theme of the fragility of 'normal' life and how a single cataclysmic event can redefine an individual's entire existence, forcing them to navigate a new, unfamiliar world.
Symbolism of the Canadian Prairie
The vast, desolate landscape of Saskatchewan symbolizes Dell's isolation and moral wilderness.
The expansive, empty, and often harsh landscape of Saskatchewan serves as a powerful symbol throughout Dell's exile. It mirrors his internal state of loneliness, abandonment, and moral confusion. The desolation of the prairie reflects the lawlessness of Remlinger's world and the absence of conventional societal structures. It emphasizes the characters' vulnerability and the stark realities of survival. The 'vast prairie sky' often mentioned reinforces a sense of insignificance and the overwhelming forces at play in Dell's life, both internal and external.
Foreshadowing
Subtle hints and ominous undertones predict future violence and revelations.
Ford employs subtle foreshadowing, particularly concerning Arthur Remlinger's true nature and the eventual violence. Dell's initial observations of Remlinger's quiet intensity, the hushed conversations, and the arrival of the American hunters all build a sense of impending dread. The narrator, as an adult, often hints at future events or his later understanding of past actions, creating suspense and drawing the reader into the unfolding tragedy. This device enhances the novel's tension and underscores the inevitability of the dark events that follow.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“In a family, even a small one, you can't know everything that's going on.”
— Dell reflects on the hidden dynamics within his family.
“The world is full of people who are just waiting for something to happen to them.”
— Dell's observation about passivity in life.
“You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
— Dell's philosophical musing on life's irreversible events.
“A person has to have a place to stand, a place from which to view the world.”
— Dell contemplating identity and perspective after moving to Canada.
“Sometimes the things we remember are more real than the things we see.”
— Dell reflecting on memory versus present reality.
“It's not the crime that defines you, but what you do after.”
— Dell's thought on moving past his parents' actions.
“In Canada, I learned that silence can be a form of speech.”
— Dell's adaptation to his new life in Saskatchewan.
“We are all just trying to make a life out of what we're given.”
— Dell's reflection on human resilience and circumstance.
“The past is a country we can never return to, but we can visit in our minds.”
— Dell musing on the nature of memory and time.
“Loneliness is not the absence of people, but the absence of understanding.”
— Dell's insight during his isolated time in Canada.
“Sometimes the only way to survive is to become someone else.”
— Dell's adaptation to his new identity after his parents' crimes.
“In the end, we are all just stories waiting to be told.”
— Dell's concluding thought on life and narrative.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
The novel follows fifteen-year-old Dell Parsons after his parents rob a bank in Montana, leading to their arrest and imprisonment. Dell is smuggled across the Canadian border to Saskatchewan, where he is taken in by the enigmatic Arthur Remlinger, whose violent nature draws Dell into a harrowing collision. The story explores Dell's struggle to remake himself and understand the adults in his life amidst trauma and loss.
About the author
Richard Ford is an American novelist and short story writer, best known for his novels featuring Frank Bascombe.
