Names

The names in this novel are symbolic of the kind of character each member of the tribe is, and of his role in the tribe. That symbolism extends to the dragons, such as Fishlegs' decision to name his dragon Horrorcow as a nod to the fact that she is basically a cow but he wants her to be a forceful creature. Some of the names that carry the symbolism are the Hairy Hooligans, Hiccup, Snotlout, and Stoick.

The Death Song

The dragon that was eaten by the sea dragon is the first to sing the death song, which symbolizes the fact that everything is mortal, even a sea dragon that has lived thousands of years. Mortality is one of the novel's themes, seen in the fact that Hiccup simply hopes to survive his trip into the dragon cave and hopes he is not exiled because that...