The theme of the book is socially sensitive because adolescents confront fears in many different ways. Manolo tries to hide his fear that he is a coward, but as the plot unfolds, he changes and faces his situation with courage. Manolo's plight of having to conform to others' expectations provides the means by which he matures, and should initiate a good discussion of social conformity. The violence of bullfighting is described but not excessively, although some readers will inevitably raise the issue of cruelty to animals. The killing of bulls is inherent to the action of the novel and is therefore unavoidable, but it is not too graphic. Even the description of tending the wounded "El Magnifico" is more clinical than gory.