The Answers
The family moved from Houston, Texas to Tangerine, Florida. Specifically they moved right outside of Tangerine in a community called Lake Windsor Downs.
Paul’s peripheral vision is impaired.
The reason they moved was to become big fish in a small pond and to run away from the problems within the family.
The muck fires are continually burning like the problems that are always hidden within the Fisher family. Also, the haze created by the muck fires symbolizes the different facades in Lake Windsor downs and the Fisher family. It also symbolizes as the hidden problems that the family keeps trying to run away from.
The koi are the prey and the ospreys are the predators. This parallels Eric, the predator and Paul, the prey.
When Lake Windsor Downs was built, the builders plowed under old tangerine trees. The termites have infested the trees below the surface of the homes. Representing the crumbling foundation of the Fisher family’s life.
They are significant because in the beginning of the novel, Paul remembers someone with a baseball bat who tried to hit him and smashed the mailboxes. Later in the novel, mailboxes are smashed and they believe a baseball bat was used. This triggers Paul’s past memory.
Arthur Bauer is Eric’s companion. He takes the place of Vincent Castor. He is always willing to do anything Eric wants him to do, including things that involve death.
Shandra’s brother Antoine played for the Lake Windsor Downs football team illegally. If her picture were in the paper people would know that Antoine lived in Tangerine and was not at the correct school.
Eric and Castor damaged Paul’s vision. This was because Eric thought that Paul told on Castor for spray painting the wall. However, Paul had not. Regardless, Eric felt someone had to pay and so Eric help Paul’s eyes open while Castor sprayed paint in them.