The cranes are only one kind of bird in the story. Identify and analyze at least two other bird references and their symbolic meanings.

Analyze and discuss the author’s attitude toward humans and their place in the natural world. Does the story suggest that humans and the ecosystem can ever really be compatible? How?

The novel contains many examples of embedded stories within the over-arching narrative. Select two or three of those internal stories and discuss how they exemplify one theme of the novel.