Images of wealth
The first scenes of the novel are framed by absolute wealth and privilege. In this case, the father decides to purposefully remove suffering from his house, using his money to patch up any issues that arise. They live in a prestigious neighborhood in scenic Maine, and they have anything one could possibly buy with money. The boys are very spoiled.
Images of death
Like Siddhartha, the Buddha, Henry is forced to bear witness to death. But not only does he have to understand death, he has to understand death in light of his very spoiled upbringing where he was sheltered from bad news of any kind by his father's limitless money. That means that Franklin's death represents not only his death, but the death of Henry's blissful ignorance. These images of death include hospital scenes, intriguing interactions with the comatose brother, and of course, the visual aspects of Franklin's injuries which are severe and ultimately fatal.
Mountain imagery
There are many aspects of mountain climbing that are difficult: the closer a climber gets to the summit, the thinner the air, the colder the air, and the more dangerous the trip becomes. Plus, the exercise is rigorous, because they aren't just walking sideways, they are climbing an incline. These images appear in the story to help show what Henry's experience of life is like. In contrast to his privileged, comfortable life, his brother's death feels cold, lonely, surreal, and most of all, it feels emotionally painful and difficult.
Images of the other side
When Chay starts telling Henry about his life back in Cambodia, Henry is forced to expand his perception of the world. Without financial stability, political representation, or career, many are left to live life as a day-by-day struggle, a concept Henry only understands when he finally imagines the life he could have had, if he had been born to different parents.
