The Significance of Fire

 Fire is the result of two main factors in the book: man-made, and natural. Due to climate change-induced droughts and heatwaves, we see fires raging across the country. Thanks to the drug pyro, we see arsonists going ham on neighborhoods as well. Fire is a huge part of the story, but I think there is something deeper.

This is quite an abstract idea, but the whole purpose behind a fever is to kill harmful pathogens in your body. By increasing the temperature, your body can heal. I interpret all of this as Earth having a fever, trying to kill the very things killing the planet. Drugs can be created naturally, and are essentially a combination of atoms, arguably a part of nature. Altogether, the drug known as pyro and climate change together are both ways for the Earth to naturally exterminate humanity. 

Comments

  1. L. MoffittMay 20, 2021 at 8:21 AM

    I didn't even think about the connection between pyro/fire and climate change. Yeah, it works as a metaphor in that way -- earth burning itself up. Plus of course Lauren talks about the symbolism of the phoenix arising from ashes.

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