Virgil Wander

“If I were to pinpoint when the world began reorganizing itself—that is, when my seeing of it began to shift—it would be the day a stranger named Rune blew into our bad luck town of Greenstone, Minnesota, like a spark, from the boreal gloom.”

Virgil reflects on Rune’s appearance as a “spark,” representing instant and explosive transformation, moving Virgil from stagnation to dynamism. The juxtaposition between the “boreal gloom” and the flash of Rune emphasizes the arrival of optimism and life, something formerly associated with misfortune. Rune represents possibility and hope, things Virgil and Greenstone badly need.

“[F]or a few minutes he’d seemed an intriguing old wizard with his kite and his pipe smoke, a beaten-down angel or holy fool. Now he just looked ancient and beleaguered.”

Virgil captures Rune’s unique personality by comparing him to a wizard, a simile that connotes mystery, wisdom, and magical qualities. The comparison to a “beaten-down angel” or “holy fool” indicates a sense of fallen grace or otherworldly innocence worn down by life’s hardships. The pipe and kite add a layer of whimsy to Rune’s persona, a curious blend of freedom, playfulness, and contemplation.

“Where do you think you’re going, Lazarus?”

Ann alludes to the Biblical story of Lazarus, a man Jesus raised from the dead. Calling Virgil Lazarus characterizes his near-death experience as miraculous and establishes him as a mythical character in town as people marvel over his story. Ironically, Virgil initially doesn’t see his survival as miraculous but instead as burdensome, as he feels he must now do something spectacular with his life. Throughout the story, this burden becomes the foundation for Virgil’s search for identity.