Winter in the Blood | Themes
Alienation
The narrator is in an alienated state of mind, closed off from his own emotions. He does not feel affection for his family or for his girlfriend. Neither does he feel any other emotions for them, such as hatred or guilt. His emotional life is simply flat. In the first chapter, which sets the tone for the novel, he refers to this state of mind as "distance," and says it has been growing in him for years. Part of this distance can be explained by the narrator's loss of his father and brother, both long dead. He comments toward the end of the novel that these two...
[The entire page is 799 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
- Winter in the Blood: Introduction
- Winter in the Blood: Summary
- Winter in the Blood: James Welch Biography
- Winter in the Blood: Characters
- Winter in the Blood: Themes
- Winter in the Blood: Style
- Winter in the Blood: Historical Context
- Winter in the Blood: Critical Overview
- Winter in the Blood: Criticism
- Winter in the Blood: Compare and Contrast
- Winter in the Blood: Topics for Further Study
- Winter in the Blood: What Do I Read Next?
- Winter in the Blood: Bibliography and Further Reading
- Copyright
Tell a friend about Winter in the Blood at eNotes.
