Muck Fires
The smoldering muck fires that appear here and there throughout the novel reflect the trouble smoldering beneath the surface in Lake Windsor. As we see the smoke sweep in through the housing development we sense that a problem is about to erupt.
Burning Tangerine Groves
Early in the novel we see heaps of tangerine trees smoldering in big fires. The groves are being burned to make way for new housing developments. While the groves come to reflect a hardworking lifestyle and culture of loyalty and love, their destruction stands in for a destruction of that life. In its place, superficial communities are being built.
Lightning
Throughout the novel we see lightning. The bolts crackle on the horizon like an ominous force threatening the lives of the people in the story. That force is like the force hidden in Erik, soon to cause a blow to the life of Luis. The flashes also reflect illumination or revelation. While Paul lives with the threat of violence, he also has potential to know and speak the truth.
The Golden Dawn Orange
The tangerine that Luis has been breeding is the most flavorful of all the oranges. Like its name, the fruit reflects a promise of something good to come. The family depends on their oranges; the Golden Dawn will be the best orange of all. After the night of the freeze, when they save the Golden Dawn, they bring hope to their own futures.
