Blue 55

Blue 55 symbolizes Iris's difficulties in navigating the world as a Deaf person among her non-Deaf family members and classmates. Blue 55 is a whale whose song is at a different frequency than that of other whales, leaving him unable to communicate with anyone else and abandoned by his family, who view him as a threat to their survival. Iris connects with him so heavily because she recognizes similarities to her own life, especially with a family who does not naturally speak her language and classmates that try but ultimately fail to understand and be understood by her.

Karaoke

Karaoke represents Grandma finding her voice and overcoming her grief after Grandpa's passing. Grandma tells Iris a story shortly after they board the cruise ship about how her and Grandpa commanded an audience at a karaoke night on another cruise by teaching the audience enough sign language to sign...