The story takes place in Ireland, in the beautiful landscape of Ireland. The setting is on top of a hill and more hills are around it. Green whale-shaped hills. The sun is shining and filling the sky and we are some place near a village, because we hear of Mrs Early's cottage and a cottage would not be placed in a bigger city. Besides that we are in the countryside because we hear that Mrs Early's cottage is surrounded by fields. .
The narrator is a young boy, but we do not know his name. I suppose he is about 15 years old. I base that on his knowledge and because geography is one of his subjects in school. I believe geography is a subject you have in the 8th and 9th grade. He seems to be a smart boy "I hear you're a clever lad at school - his teacher, Mrs Early, says. He knows much about whales and geography and we also read in the text that he is a boy who sticks to himself and keeps his own company . He has been interested in the Whaler since he was a small child, the Whaler was his idol, his hero. He is the reason that he has redden so much about whale hunting. He knew the chronology of the whale hunt by heart. But now when he meets the Whaler he realizes that it has all been a big fat lie. When he first sees him the Whaler is actually and literally taking a dump in the nature. He finishes and starts making conversation with the boy. He is certainly not shy! But he is a big disappointment for the narrator. He sees now that his former idol is a fake. He has never been a Whaler, he has just been running boats in Canada. He never saw a whale in his life. "I was no sailor. I ran the St Lawrence seaway only.But they want heroes here. It's not enough to travel."" . Just like that is the narrators "dreams- ruined. But it is not enough for the Whaler, he just has to tare more of the narrators life apart. We hear that the Whaler has had an affair with the narrator's teacher, the teacher which he respects and likes and the Whaler tells him that.