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The book mostly focuses on Sarah, Tom and one can say even Strong Heart. In spite of that, William and Myra were supporting characters who were there for the beginning of the book all the way to the end.

Why do you think their characters are so important to the story? What did they bring to the group?

I think they brought alot of wisdom and insight. I also think they would not have been able to make the journey without Myra's strength.

Mjgarrison wrote:I think they brought alot of wisdom and insight. I also think they would not have been able to make the journey without Myra's strength.

They made the trip possible.

Well, I don't think Tom would've gone camping with Sarah without being pushed by William, so there's that. Tom seemed sort of lackadaisical about a lot of things and they usually got him moving/acting, and I think he needed them there to help him figure out his new granddaughter. Their knowledge of the folklore and legends of their tribes turned out to be pretty important too.

I think William and Myra were often voices of reason, as well as calming elements. Tom and Sarah seemed very driven by emotions, and were often unable to take a step back to think things over. William and Myra compensated for that by making them look at things a different way. They balanced the scales, so to speak.

gali wrote:

Mjgarrison wrote:I think they brought alot of wisdom and insight. I also think they would not have been able to make the journey without Myra's strength.

They made the trip possible.

I agree! I also think that the dynamic between Sarah and Myra was interesting and sometimes humorous; it made them and the story more personal.

I liked the dialogue between Myra and Sarah as well. I think Myra was needed to help develop Sarah's character and make her more likable.

Did William do that for Tom?

Yes they are
William on many occasions is better able to relate with Sarah as compared to her granddad Tom for example she confides in him that she knows where the spear thrower. In a fit of rage she disappeared with it. This sets the stage for theur second return to the park and William is at the forefront of this. Myra is young and she is able to also relate with Sarah. She is an antropologist who is hellbent on preserving history, she fights for park to be named an archaeological site and prevent Buckhorn mining.

I think that William and Myra are essential characters. Myra was a strong emotional support to Sarah. William was Tom's chief support. I agree with others that both William and Myra were "voices of reason."

Myra was Sarah's friend and William was Tom's. The father-daughter exchanges were as important as the grandpa-granddaughter angle. Strong Heart is essentially a story about family and friendship and a human's need for other people.

Miriam Molina wrote:Myra was Sarah's friend and William was Tom's. The father-daughter exchanges were as important as the grandpa-granddaughter angle. Strong Heart is essentially a story about family and friendship and a human's need for other people.

You're absolutely right. Even though Tom and Sarah sometimes think they can each handle something alone, it becomes evident they need their friends and family.

I feel they were primarily supporting characters, used to give a context to Tom's situation as a divorcee and give credibility to all that happened within the park. Myra was also very spirited, making her relatable to Sarah and open-minded enough to help Tom and the readers to more easily accept Sarah's story about the short face bear and her disappearance.

They were important elements for the story. Myra gave some strength and sometimes we need multiple characters to bring in various point of views on what is happening.

Both were very important characters. It was William who impressed it upon Tom to take Sarah with them for the trip and continued to offer various pieces of advise. Myra was a huge source of strength for the journey. She also aided Sarah to have confidence in her abilities as she was the only one who seemed to have believed Sarah initially.

I also think William's presence, particularly not being as fit as the others, helped to depict just how physically strenuous this trek was. I think this helped me picture the terrain even better.