Contrast

The Sub-Saharan African landscape mirrors some of the central themes of the novel. Beauty and violence coexist in a place where the drama is immediate and immutable. 

Mirroring the predatory behavior of wildlife on the veld, the decisions made by key central characters often result in either life or death. The landscape has a primal quality that challenges our Western assumptions about the norms of civilized society. We are both drawn to and repulsed by the constant threat of danger. Some of the characters thrive in this environment; others barely make it through.

We all deal with contrast in macro and micro ways throughout our life. Share your thoughts on life's mirrors and contrasts in the comments.