What are the motifs in A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park?

Loss is a motif in the story. Min and his wife have lost their child. This loss has left a hole in the hearts of the older couple that each fills in a different way. Min deals with his grief by throwing himself into his work, creating more complicated yet delicate work. Min's wife deals with her grief by taking an orphan boy, Tree-ear, into her heart and providing for him as best as she can. In the end, Tree-ear manages to break through this grief and give Min and his wife hope for the future. In fact, Min and his wife eventually adopt Tree-ear, giving him the new name of Hyung-pil, which is a name that represents his status as sibling to the child they once lost.