The importance of parental influence

The author demonstrates throughout the novel that parental presence and influence - even if not by a biological parent - makes a dramatic difference in a child's life.

The importance of family is explored in a different way through Shay and Odin. The reason that Shay and Odin are so close to one another is because they lost their parents at a young age. Shay and Odin weren’t lucky enough to wind up in foster families that cared for them. The one that Shay was with didn’t care about providing care. For Shay's foster family, it was just a way to get money from the state so they could pursue their own goals. Odin got involved in his activist group because he didn’t have anyone looking after him. Shay was able to leave for the same reasons. This shows...