. The first sun of influence is his parents. His mother plays small part of his life. Although she dies when he was six, she still nourishs him with the love and security she could offer him. Her love is the only protection from the viciousness of Ken’s father until Claudia comes. An example of this is when the father forced the son to touch the shark. “Touch it,’ he said. I shook my head violently and took a step ba

The only “sun” in his life which helped Ken was Claudia. Although she was not the best role model for Ken, she reopened Ken’s old wounds of past grievances and taught him to love. “We’d be in bed naked and share our pasts. I’d tell her about my mother and father, about Koa” (129). Being with Claudia gives Ken the motivation to change. Claudia had “given me something to live for.” (138). Claudia serves as a catalyst for Ken to change back to the vulnerable boy he once was.

After the death of both “suns” of influence, Ken sees his prison that his father and Koa lured him into. Despite Claudia’s positive influence in his life, Ken cannot escape his destiny to be entrapped in a void of life. Through this recognition, Ken visualizes his fruitless and destructive future. When Claudia visits him in prison to encourage him to get on with his life, Ken surrenders himself to his destiny by saying, “Claude, I’m not starting over. I’m too damn tired to start over” (225).

Koa, being his second “sun” of influence, gives him an illusion of life that has control and stability. His friendly company offers Ken, an escape from home. They surf, fight, drink, and hang out together. Suffering from a similar type of thirst for control, Koa teaches Ken a way to be the master instead of the student. Basically he maintains the motto to not “give a *censored*” (56). However in Koa’s attempt to show Ken a better life, Koa instead places in Ken a dangerous no-care type of attitude toward life.

ck. . . He took step toward me. ‘Now touch it.’ . . Then I felt my father’s thick fingers wrap around my forearm. He squeezed hard and it hurt. . . As my mother got close, . . . she stepped toward my father. . . She responded with a vicious slap, which landed on my father’s left cheek. . . Mom stood her ground” (22-23). Her protection is the only safe haven Ken could rely upon. Through the books she leaves with him to the small deeds she does to protect him, Ken’s mom instills in Ken a glimpse of a happy lifestyl

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