One theme the author explores, then, is the effect of naming on persona and psychology. Santha does not feel the weight or history of her past when she is at school. As "Cynthia," she focuses on wanting to have a cotton dress like another girl and eat British style sandwiches to fit in.
Forest fires and wildfires are natural because they help to clear debris, old brush, and dying trees. This helps the trees to be able to grow along with the seeds produced when fire heats them.
