Importance of Falconi's Scars

The scars on Falconi's arms symbolize strength through loss. When he was a teenager, Falconi left his younger sister at home to hang out with his friends. His sister was killed in a tragic cooking accident, and he came home to find the house engulfed in flames. He attempted to rescue her, but unfortunately, it was too late and all he had to show for it were the scars on his arms. Although the technology existed to remove the scars from his arms, Falconi kept them as a reminder to keep things in perspective: "if I'm having a rough time, I look at my arms, and I know I'll get through whatever problem I'm dealing with" (487).