Plainsong of Kent HarufKent Haruf was born and raised on the plains of northeastern Colorado and attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and the University of Iowa. After graduating, he owned a chicken ranch in Colorado, worked at the Royal Gorge Bridge and was in the Peace Corps before settling down to teach at the University of Iowa. He has a lot of experience in small town life, which is why his book Plainsong is so beautifully written. Haruf has first-hand experience of the gossip, drama, and change so present in Plainsong. Change and parallels in the environment are the main themes of this story. Everyone is touched by it and affected by the change in everyone else's lives that happens around them. Guthrie and Ella's relationship breaks down and Ella has fallen into a horrible depression. She never leaves her room and rarely speaks. Guthrie tries to break her out of her mental prison, but to no avail. “Looking at her, he couldn't tell if she was sleeping or not, but he thought she wasn't. He thought she was just waiting to find out why he had come and then for him to leave. (6). This line shows that Ella does not want to come out of her depressed state, that she is not ready. However, when Ike and Bobbie come to talk to her, she talks to them. “What time is it?” They looked at the clock on the dresser. A quarter past eight, Ike said. You better go. You don't want to be late. She smiled a little and extended her hand towards them. Will you each kiss me first? (13) His differences in attitude towards Ike, Bobby and Guthrie are also reflected in his environment. His cool feelings towards Guthrie are reflected in the atmosphere of his room, when he is there. "He stopped... middle of paper... turned east onto the gravel country road, then onto the trail leading back to the old house with the rusty wire strung around it and the stunted elms stand without leaves inside the rusty wire (125) In this line, the fence represents the emotional wall that the brothers have erected to keep everyone out. warm touch to their home and they realize they can't keep everyone out forever. “Now the wind rose in the trees, high up, moving the high branches The barn swallows came out and. began to chase away leaf bugs and lacewings at dusk The air became sweet (301).The environment is the only thing that binds all these characters together. They lead separate lives, separate problems, but everything. depends on the nature that surrounds them all. Bibliography: Plainsong, by Kent Haruf.