Odder

This brief section functions as the epilogue to the narrative. As Otter #209 is released back into the wild and Odder watches, hopeful and proud, this moment symbolizes the conclusion of Odder’s character arc and reflects the resolution of the novel’s core themes of Bravery and Healing After Trauma and The Rewards and Risks of Life in the Wild. The section title, “coda,” connotes an added ending in a musical composition and evokes a gentle, lyrical mood, which complements the hopeful, uplifting tone of the novel’s final poem.

The final poem’s title parallels the title of Part 2’s final poem (Poem 116), “how to say goodbye to an otter.” The additional parenthetical in Poem 164’s title indicates the change in perspective here: Instead of observing the release of an otter pup from a human’s perspective, the narrator instead observes it through an animal perspective in Part 4. The repetition in the title recalls Part 2’s conclusion and signals the change in perspective, reflecting the theme of The Role of Human-Animal Relationships in Conservation. Repetition in the poem itself reinforces this, drawing a parallel between Odder’s experience here and the one the humans had when they released her. Both poems are written in the second person, and each stanza begins in the imperative voice. Instructions such as “Be hopeful” appear in both poems while emphasizing the importance of letting go of those one loves with confidence in all that one has taught them. The ideas expressed in Poem 164’s lines—“After long months, / know that you’ve done your best, / that teaching and loving / are different words / for the same thing” (259)—mirror those in Poem 116’s lines—“Know you’ve taught her well, / that she is ready for this moment, / that there is never a perfect time / to let go of the ones we love” (178). The similarities between the human and animal perspectives suggest the powerful roles both humans and animals play in healing and conservation efforts, reinforcing the value of human-animal relationships.

The release of Otter #209 symbolizes Odder’s healing and the conclusion of her character arc. To this end, the novel’s final poem differs in tone from the one in Part 2; while the tone of “how to say goodbye to an otter” at the end of Part 2 is more bittersweet as the humans watch Odder swim away, the tone in Poem 164 is full of optimism. Odder is “proud” and “hopeful” as she takes comfort that she has taught the young pup that the world isn’t only to be feared and will always have a connection to water and play. These ideas reflect the conclusion of Odder’s healing journey, encapsulating the novel’s thematic emphasis on bravery and healing as well as appreciating life in the wild for both its beauty and its dangers.

The final lines of the poem—“and that water, / beautiful water, / will always mean / play” (260)—combine both motifs to indicate that Odder has reconnected with the core aspects of her identity, suggesting that she has healed from her ordeal. The author’s choice of words here emphasizes this point because the water isn’t just water but is “beautiful water,” communicating the elation that Odder once again feels toward the open water, replacing the cynicism she felt toward the wild after her shark attack. The poem shows that although Odder previously felt that the wild was full of dangers and promised herself she’d be more cautious, she has overcome that fear to recognize the wonders of nature once again because she wants her surrogate pup to know that “the world is not / meant to be feared” (260). Although Odder knows that the dangers are still present, she also knows that the wild is far more than that; she can move beyond thoughts of its risks to also recognize the beauty and freedom it offers.

The author’s choice to parallel the concluding poem with the one at the end of Part 2 evokes comparisons between Odder’s journey as a pup with her otter-teacher and how she has now stepped into that role for another pup, suggesting that the relationship between humans and animals is an important part of conservation efforts. Her transformed outlook on the wild and ocean life signals that Odder has completed her character development and found her healing; she can once more recognize and appreciate the dual realities of life in the wild and has passed that knowledge along to her young surrogate pup.