oral-tradition-and-memory

In this chapter, Gordon performs a simplified one-man version of Macbeth for the isolated mountain village of Pine View, receiving warm applause despite his self-doubt about the quality of his acting. The villagers, scarred by the hardships of the post-apocalyptic world, express a tentative hope for revival through culture and education, though Gordon remains skeptical about the sustainability of such hopes. The chapter also highlights the deep communal bonds and reverence for the past, especially through stories about former mailmen who symbolized connection and continuity.