

The first chapter begins with a short monologue about Toby’s own luck. Other than the introduction, which takes place after the events of the novel, the novel follows a linear timeline. Because the novel begins with Toby in the present calling his cousins about the past, it is clear that Toby is reflecting in the present on events that have already occurred this is reflected in the tenses, as the bulk of the novel is narrated in the past tense, but begins and ends with the present tense. The narrator, Toby Hennessy, is also the main character. The Witch Elm takes place in Ireland, and is narrated in the first person. The following edition was used to create this study guide: French, Tana.
