Plane

The plane is a symbol of transition in the story. The plane transports the students to and from the boarding school each year where their lives are dramatically changed. Bunna is also killed in a plane crash, altering the lives of the Aaluk family but also shattering the innocence of the other students as well.

Forest

The forest is a symbol of the fear and confusion the students feel when they first arrive at the school. They have never experienced such dense trees and dark spaces just as the school is foreign and frightening to them. As the time passes, though, and the kids grow to be more comfortable at the school, they embrace the forest and even use it as a haven for when they are upset or troubled.

Luke's name

Luke's Inupiaq name is not easily pronounced by white people so they change it...