The ocean is a recurring motif throughout the narrative. It mirrors the characters’ emotional states and foreshadows impending danger while also serving as the setting for the romance. Its storms parallel conflict and moments of crisis, and the calm stretches lead to intimacy and understanding. The ocean’s violence also emphasizes how powerless the characters are in the face of forces beyond their control, thus hinting at the theme of Inheritance and the Choice to Be Different. At the same time, as an inherently liminal environment, the seaside becomes a place for the reflection and transformation that underpin the theme of How Love Reshapes Identity; many of the pivotal moments in Hannah and Toby’s relationship and character development occur near the shore or in the lighthouse.

The lighthouse itself also holds symbolic significance. As Toby states, “[T]here’s something beautiful about anything built for one purpose that refuses to die, even once that purpose is gone” (101). This frames the lighthouse as a metaphor for resilience; like the lighthouse endures the sea, the characters endure trauma and grief.