Top 5 diploma questions

The effect of adversity on the human spirit

I chose this theme because of the obvious connotations with the situation in Hiroshima. The bomb not only inflicts pain upon the citizens of the city itself, but the maker of the bomb as well. The effects on Emiko are everlasting and follow her through painful surgeries and recoveries, and even into her everyday life. She is researched like a science experiment continuously. Therefore, she is face to face with adversity daily, slowly breaking down her spirit and building up a strong wall in order to protect herself against the harsh words of the public. On the other end of the spectrum, the creator of the bomb suffers as well, having to deal with the constant weight on his shoulders reminding him that he destroyed a population. The two characters feel immense amounts of adversity following their lives continuously, yet this awful attachment to the bomb surfaces strength within each of them, stemming from opposite ends of the spectrum.

Interplay between fear and foresight when individuals make life altering choices

This topic is focused mainly on the creator of the atomic bomb, Anton. His life-altering choice is the creation and development of this bomb, forcing him to choose between his morality and his obligations to his career. His choice was the latter, forcing him to endlessly prove to himself that the decision was the correct one. His mind is a constant battle between humanity and the advance of technology in order to pursue his career. The fear and hesitance intertwined in his very mind creates a sense of indifference within Anton, resulting in the slow unfolding of his relationship with Sophie, and his denial of doing any wrong in the face of Emiko. This choice is one that has afflicted every aspect of his present life, creating inner-conflict in the face of any situation.

The effect an individuals perspective has on personal beliefs

This topic is mainly focusing on the conflicting ideals of Emiko and Anton, but as well with Anton's relationship with Sophie. Anton's personal beliefs are strong and unchanging, therefore he appears to come off headstrong on multiple occasions. His perspective on the bomb is that "it saved lives" by stopping the Americans from starting a full blown war. Emiko's ideals are clashing. Her beliefs are strong in that the bomb changed her life, and killed her family, therefore cannot be seen as a humanitary movement. The two points are valid, therefore the perspective brought by each character enables the reader to view both sides unbiased. They both have strong fundamental values of family, morals and of following one's goals, therefore the views they each have on the bomb make the novel a thrill to read, and interesting points and perspectives to untangle along the way.