Fire.

“We’re going to be okay, aren’t we Papa? Yes. We are. And nothing bad is going to happen to us. That’s right. Because we’re carrying the fire. Yes. Because we’re carrying the fire.” (pg 83)

    This phrase “carrying the fire” is seen in more than one place throughout our readings so far.  What is the fire?  The Oxford English Dictionary defines fire as follows:

Fire: n. The natural agency or active principle operative in combustion; popularly conceived as a substance visible in the form of flame or of ruddy glow or incandescence.

Another online literary symbolism dictionary stated that fire could be a symbol of inspiration, yet it is most predominantly the symbol of hell.  The same source also listed a few other ideas of fire pertaining to purification, resurrection, and spiritual enlightenment.  Personally, I see fire as being a sense of warmth, sometimes painful to put out, sometimes hard to start/make; and of course the spiritual side of me sees fire as being something that doesn’t die – like the fire that’s been placed in me by the Holy Spirit. 
    Why does the author repeatedly use this phrase throughout conversations between the father and son?  The Christian in me wants to believe that “the fire” is their “good” spirit inside of them.  The book also repeatedly uses the phrase, “the good guys.”  An example is when the son says, “we’re still the good guys right?”  I think the phrase “we’re carrying the fire” is very significant to this story because it forces the reader to really think about what it is.  Now that we’ve dug in a little deeper into the story I’ve begun to enjoy it more, but I still find myself asking, “What is the significance to them carrying the fire?”
    The author also uses enjambment continuously throughout the book.  His refrain from using quotation marks and other punctuations can be confusing at times, but it also engages the reader and forces them to try to figure out who is saying what and what is going on in the story, adding depth to the story.  I enjoy when the author leaves things for the reader to figure out on their own because it makes the read challenging.
    I believe the fire could also be another name for the gun (FIREarm) that the father carries at all times.  The son might think that they’re safe because they have a gun – aka “the fire” that can keep them from harm’s way.  Although the meaning of the fire hasn’t been discovered yet, I believe this phrase is going to continue to be an important one throughout the text, and one that the reader needs to pay attention to in order to fully understand what’s going on. 

References:

"Fire." Dictionary of Symbolism. Web. <http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/F/fire.html>.
"Fire." Oxford English Dictionary. Web. <http://www.oed.com.ezproxy.seuniversity.edu:2048/search?searchType=dictionary&q=fire&_searchBtn=Search_)>.