Title | Gaffer: A Novel of Newfoundland |
Publication Type | Book |
Year of Publication | 1998 |
Authors | Major, Kevin |
Publisher | Doubleday Canada |
City | Toronto |
ISBN Number | 9780385257299 |
Descriptors | Death; Economics; Fishing; Isolation; Time-travel; Tourism |
Gaffer is an odd young Newfoundlander who spends most of his time combing the beach, or swimming in the ocean. While dealing with his father’s tragic death, Gaffer returns more and more frequently to the ocean to swim and explore. During these explorations, Gaffer discovers that while swimming underwater he is able to transcend time and space. He explores various points in Newfoundland’s history from John Cabot to the oil rig his father died on. These explorations enable Gaffer to understand both Newfoundland’s and his own personal history by thinking about the influence of the past on the future.