The End We Start From

The unnamed female narrator is a dynamic protagonist whose first-person point of view defines and characterizes the story. She is introspective, cynical, and occasionally funny; when she and R learn that they “are within the Gulp Zone. [She says] whoever thought of that name should be boiled in noodles” (3). Although she tries to hold her family together during the crisis, she also struggles with a persistent sense of dread that has haunted her from childhood.

These fears and feelings often color her view of the present and as the water rises, her premonitions of “the creeping times” feel viscerally real (3). As the story continues, however, she forces herself to look beyond her anxiety and navigate the challenges of childbirth, parenthood, and climate disaster with a desire to protect and care for her loved ones. She is especially driven by an unwavering love for her son, Z, that empowers her to overcome her fears and forge a future for her family. She finds comfort and fulfillment in her identity as a mother and the daily tasks of caring for him. Even when she feels afraid or misses R, concentrating on Z renews her strength and infuses her with the determination she needs to keep going.