Water

Throughout the novel, images of water symbolize both destruction and rebirth. In the context of Richard's story, water has granted him the opportunity to reinvent himself and to create an identity outside the context of his country and family. In the context of the overarching narrative, the tsunami created by the earthquake, symbolizes destruction and demolition. While the water destroys the city, it simultaneously creates the opportunity for new life afterwards.

Douz

Douz, or the January 12, 2010 earthquake, symbolizes equality. While the natural disaster destroys Port-au-Prince and the lives of the people residing therein, the earthquake also equalizes all of their disparate lives. Throughout the novel, each of the characters searches for a way to explain the event and its effects. The characters all realize that Douz did not discriminate against good or bad, nor did it have anything to do with morality, faith, or belief. Rather...