Daniel is a symbol of an unstable parent
Daniel who is Sue’s father has been used to represent emotionally unstable parents. He shows his emotional instability when he cries right in front of her daughter who looks up to him. The daughter needed assurance that everything would be all right in that situation. She was scared and needed to be comforted by her father but her father becomes overwhelmed more than the daughter. As a parent, Daniel failed to provide a sense of security for her daughter.
Owen is a symbol of teenage responsibility
Owen has been helping her parents to run their family business since he was ten. He shows a lot of confidence and a sense of responsibility in how he handles the tourists. He is knowledgeable about the business and very courteous when taking in their concerns and questions. At such a young age, his sense of responsibility is commendable. The way his father relies on him to give the tour without interfering shows how the father trusts him to deliver well.
Natural disasters as a symbol of World Problems
The disasters that the young kids face show some of the calamities that befall people in different parts of the world. The disasters also show the number of lives and properties claimed during those times and how the survivors are left distraught. The disasters also highlight human involvement in causing some of them like the fire tragedy. Had Akira’s father raised an alarm early enough then the situation would have been contained. It shows how dangerous and costly being neglectful can be. They represent the problems we face and how some of those problems we help cause either directly or indirectly.
Ignorance as motif
If not for the ignorance of Akira’s father, then maybe the forest fire would not have damaged a lot of properties. Akira had earlier warned her father about the onset of the fire and even raised concerns about calling the fire department but the father ignored her. Akira’s dad had a bad attitude of thinking he knows it all and that claimed a lot of lives. His failure to call the fire department led to the loss of many lives and properties.
