The Sharks

The sharks that deliver Noa symbolize second chances. Though Noa's family thought he would drown or be killed by the animals, the sharks offer him safely back up to the boat. This moment foreshadows each of the characters' various deliverances from despair, failure, and grief.

The Hula Dancers

The hula dancers Kaui sees in her dreams symbolize freedom. Kaui first encounters real hula dancers in the school gym. Watching them, she feels a sense of relief and escape from her own life. Then once she leaves home, the dancers begin appearing in her dream, encounters which grant her a sense of connection to her home and sense of possibility beyond her present sense of confusion and entrapment at school.

The Owl

The owl Noa fails to save in the cemetery as a child symbolizes lack of control. Though Noa is still learning what his healing...