Uplanders and Downlanders—two groups of complete opposites… or are they? We're led to believe that the two places could not be more different, but as Cam gets to know people in Upland a little better, he's surprised to learn that they have a lot of the same traditions as his people do in Downland. Hmm… maybe the people are pretty similar after all. The Returning sets Uplanders and Downlanders against each other, and then asks us to consider what, exactly, is so different about these regions and people groups anyway.
Questions About Contrasting Regions
- How is Upland different from Downland? How is it similar? How does visiting Upland change the way Cam and Graceful see Downland?
- Where is Cam happiest? Where is Graceful happiest?
- Why do the Uplanders and Downlanders constantly tell each other that the other place is different? How is this comforting to them?
Chew on This
Graceful and Cam's journeys between the two regions are metaphors for transition from childhood into adulthood.
Even though Uplanders and Downlanders swear by the differences between the two regions, they are really very similar, which is exemplified by the impact the war has on both sides.