Grenades

Grenades are symbolic of the violence being meted out by the opposing forces in the battle that takes place in Okinawa. It is significant that Hideki and the other boys are given two grenades with instructions to use one to kill as many Americans as possible and the second to kill themselves. Hideki only deploys one of his grenades, killing Ray and injuring himself. He leaves the second behind when he is approaching the America troops, knowing it will be seen as a threat and will get him killed.

The Photos

Ray begins taking photos from any dead Japanese and Okinawan he finds. The photos symbolize the lives these people led before war changed many of them into soldiers. As the novel comes to an end, Hideki puts up dozens of photos that he has collected, which are similarly symbolic. While Kimiko is angry that the...