In the Distance

Over the course of the novel, Håkan suffers from increasing physical and emotional isolation and engages in a lifelong search for belonging, which becomes the engine for the story. During his childhood in Sweden, the members of the Söderström family are cut off from the outside world because their landowner’s greed drives away their neighbors: “Most families in the region led similar lives, and within a few years, as their neighbors abandoned their homes, heading for Stockholm or farther south, the Söderströms became increasingly isolated, until they lost all contact with people” (11). As Håkan grows older, the factors that separate him from other people increase in number and complexity. Håkan’s separation from Linus marks a pivotal moment in the narrative because it leads to the protagonist’s arrival in California and catalyzes the events that ensue on her search for Linus. The language barrier further complicates Håkan’s efforts to find his brother and connect with the people he encounters along his journey. Even his legendary moniker reflects how little he is understood in America: “I couldn’t speak English when I got here. People asked me my name. I answered them, Håkan [...] They asked, Hawk can? [.