The Big Wave

“But after he had eaten at night and in the morning, he was glad that he lived so high up because he could look down on the broad blue ocean at the foot of the mountain.”

Kino expresses frustration with living on the farm high up the mountainside rather than down in the village. However, he appreciates the view of the ocean from his home, which reveals how his opinion of the ocean differs from the fishermen’s. While Kino sees only the beauty, the fishermen see the threat and danger.

“From the window of his room Kino looked down upon the few thatched roofs of the village, running in two uneven lines on both sides of a cobbled street. These houses faced one another, and those that stood beside the sea did not have windows toward it.”

This passage establishes that the fishermen’s houses on the beach are built without windows that face the ocean. As Kino learns, this is because of the fishermen’s fear and respect for the dangers of the ocean. This lays the groundwork for the contrast that Jiya’s house ultimately provides. The description of the houses also highlights their simplicity (their roofs are “thatched”) and vulnerability (they are in “uneven,” wavering lines). In this, it establishes the cataclysmic effect the wave will have on them and contrasts with later descriptions of the Old Gentleman’s castle.

“‘The sea is our enemy,’ Jiya replied.”

When Kino is confused by Jiya’s concern about being on the water late at night, Jiya explains that all the fishermen fear and respect