Being Proud of Who You Are

There are several characters in the story who either stress the importance of being proud of themselves, or who learn to accept themselves and love who they are. The main character, Ty, is constantly hiding a part of himself from the world. He even lies to his own parents, pretending that he does not have a Dark Gift. Ty is afraid that if others find out about his abilities, he could be separated from his family and made to endure more medical experiments, like those he suffered in the past. More than anything, he does not want to lose his home and his future, which might be taken away if his parents decide to move Topside because of his ability. This is why Ty hides his Dark Gift. By keeping this secret, however, it makes him feel constantly afraid of his own ability...