Hurricane Hazel
The novel alludes to the historic event of Hurricane Hazel that hit Toronto and brought the enormous catastrophe. It follows a young man who is on his way to become a reporter, and his story culminates with Hazel. The title of the novel directly personifies the event, and Hazel only appears at the very end, directly connected to Lee’s important turn in life.
Change
The most important motif in the novel is the motif of change. Change is directly connected to growth and improvement. Lee is unhappy with his life, and he decides to make a big change, take a huge risk by moving to Toronto without any stability. Without this needed change, Lee would have never been able to grow and become a reporter.
Fear
Fear is another important motif accompanying Lee’s life. Despite taking a big leap, Lee still shows the vulnerability and fear of a seventeen-year-old boy. He is mostly afraid of abandonment from his father and in the moment of loneliness he decides to call him, missing him and the safety of home. Fear is shown as a natural, unavoidable part of emotional and psychological growth.
Angela
Angela emerges as a femme fatale character that Lee immediately falls in love with. She is a beautiful and misunderstood actress, strong in her beliefs and free in her behavior that breaks Lee’s conservative convictions. Her character doesn’t contain a lot of depth, aside from her beliefs in communism, and she is merely there as Lee’s love interest, which makes her presence more symbolic.
