Saying Goodbye to Yang

The motif of Jim’s appraisal of the natural world around him signals an acceptance of his situation or is used as a metaphor to gain insight into his emotions. Juxtaposed with the clinical realities of Yang’s death, the poetic moments of nature slow down the frenetic panic of Jim’s journey. Memories are tinged with lyrical descriptions of nature, often going hand in hand with reflections of Yang as a son rather than merely a robot caretaker. In particular, Jim remarks on sunlight and color when relaying an anecdote of raking leaves with Yang, expressing how his grief manifests. The beauty in nature, as compared to the starkness of his grief, helps chart Jim’s acceptance of both Yang and his death. The colors of the fall day he shared with Yang in which he briefly forgets he is inanimate mirrors the colors Jim notices during the funeral. The motif comes full circle here, as Jim cements his love for Yang and his family, steeped in new awareness.