The novel is the story of a historian examining his family’s past in order to help explain his present predicament. The reason Lyman becomes so heavily invested in the story of his grandparents is that he finds himself stuck: He is stuck in a wheelchair; he is stuck depending on people; and his wife has abandoned him. He is out beyond the pale of society and feels drawn to the story of the couple who ventured West at a difficult time and endured many hardships before eventually settling down together for life.

As a historian, Lyman understands the importance of looking to the past to answer problems in the present. He has written often about the American West and is considered something of a leading expert, but he has never written a story so personal. Thus, the conversation, parallels, and contrasts between his life and that of his grandparents become more important. Shelly is a useful character in this respect. Not only does she encourage Lyman to scrutinize Susan as a person (rather than as Lyman’s grandmother or the famous literary figure), but she also represents a different generation. Lyman and Shelly discuss the differences between the generations: When Shelly talks about traveling to a commune, Lyman provides her with a list of historical precedents.