Owen confronts and begins to develop an understanding for the concepts of revenge, acceptance, and forgiveness as he develops throughout the novel. Owen’s desire for revenge is based on trauma from the murder of his parents, a violent act that highlighted his powerlessness. Revenge represents an attempt to regain control in his life, and his obsession with revenge results in an inability to accept change. By contrast, Owen’s forgiveness represents a chance for healing, growth, and development.

Owen’s Nemesis device is an important symbol of retribution in the novel that blends two aspects of Owen’s response to the murder of his parents. Nemesis represents a compulsion to build, signifying his attempts to take back power and control, a reaction to his inability to save his parents. Built largely from scavenged parts, Owen’s project is an act of empowerment and his desperation to complete the project signifies the depth of his emotional trauma. Nemesis, through its name, is a symbol associated with the Greek goddess of retribution, and Owen’s compulsion to capture the murderer through Nemesis signifies that his desire is based on anger and vengeance rather than acceptance. Together, this symbolism makes his invention a representation of his inability to let go.