The Green Glass Sea

In the exposition, the reader is introduced to Dewey and the ultra-secret world of Los Alamos. Dewey’s disjointed childhood due to her father’s work, which requires him to move around constantly, is illustrated in the anecdote about Dewey’s toy duck: “‘And who’s this?’ Dewey shrugs. ‘Einstein. He was a present from Papa, when I came from Boston on the bus to live with Nana. I was only seven then’” (30). The reader learns that Dewey is almost 11 and has been living between her Nana and her Nana’s neighbor, Mrs. Kovack, for at least three years; her childhood has been disrupted by constant moves. Her desire to be reunited with her beloved Papa is characterized in the opening scene, where Dewey waits excitedly on Mrs. Kovack’s porch: “She looks toward the corner every few seconds” (28).

Furthermore, it is telling that Dewey came from Boston “on the bus.” Dewey is expected to show independence beyond her age due to her father’s work, which prevents him from functioning as a traditional primary caregiver to Dewy; she is sent around the country on public transport and with army escorts. The reader also learns indirectly that Dewey’s mother is not involved in her life. Papa’s absence alludes to his involvement in war projects; he has been unable to care for her consistently since 1939, the year the Second World War began in Europe.

Despite Dewey and Papa’s almost constant separation over the previous years, their mutual love for one another is characterized by their joyful reunion: “‘Papa!’ She jumps out of her chair and throws herself into his arms. ‘Hey, Dews,’ Jimmy Kerrigan says, returning the hug with equal enthusiasm” (53). Jimmy Kerrigan is characterized as a loving father, albeit overly occupied with the demands of his work.

Dewey’s disability from a childhood injury is alluded to in her mismatched shoes: “Her right foot is in a brown shoe that laces up one side, her left in an ordinary saddle shoe” (28).

Science is introduced as an important and recurring motif in Dewey’s toy duck named Einstein, as well as in her fascination with the operation of radios: “It is called The Boy Mechanic, and she is reading a chapter about building radios. Her fingers itch with the urge to have all the parts in front of her” (35). Dewey retreats into the world of science, math, and mechanics; these passions are constants in her world, which is otherwise constantly disrupted by the need to move between locations, homes, and schools. Furthermore, these interests keep Dewey feeling connected with her father, a celebrated scientist. The sexist title of Dewey’s book, which is exclusionary to girls with an interest in mechanics, contextualizes the world of the 1940s; Dewey is categorized as unusual for her gender due to her interest in designing and building machinery.

At Los Alamos, Dewey enters a building designated for the “U. S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS” (49). The development of an engineered scientific project in association with the war is alluded to. Furthermore, Dewey receives strict instructions that “the main thing is that everything about your new home has to be a secret. Off the Hill, you can’t tell anyone where you live, or who you live with, or what you see or hear” (51). The secretive nature of the Manhattan Project being conducted at Los Alamos is characterized by these careful protective measures. This impression is further created as Papa and Dewey enter the complex; strict security measures, including fencing, signage, entry passes, and guards, convey the secrecy of the project:

In front of the car is a long chain-link fence, topped with many strands of barbed wire. A small green wooden building stands to the left, with a large sign that says: DANGER! PELIGRO! KEEP OUT! Three uniformed men, wearing battle helmets and holding rifles, surround the car. ‘Passes?’ says one of them, holding out his hand (57).

The top-secret nature of the project and the isolation of Los Alamos lays the foundation for the theme of Social Inclusion and the Importance of Human Connection, one of the novel’s significant themes.