Two Degrees

Part 7 takes place several months after the main events of the book. The format, a series of speeches at a conference organized by Natalie, allows the reader to find out what happened to each character in the aftermath of their particular crisis. It also shows how Natalie’s, Akira’s, George’s, and Owen’s experiences have motivated them to fight for climate justice. All of the characters have changed significantly, but Gratz also shows how they have retained their personalities despite their struggles. The changes they have made during their journey of Survival and Resilience in Disaster illustrate their Coming of Age in a Changing World. Natalie has become a passionate leader but is still a young girl with an elaborate fantasy world at heart. This is shown through the butterfly motif that runs throughout the conference, a reflection of Mariposa, the imaginary land that she has used as an escape throughout her life. Although George and Owen speak seriously about the threats that polar bears face, they continue to tease each other as they always have. Owen introduces himself as Mac, and George still resists the nickname “Cheese.” Akira, the first character depicted at the conference, has become more confident in her beliefs but remains extremely shy. Before going on stage, she is described as having second thoughts, and only finds the courage to speak after thinking about the burned sequoias.

During their speeches, each character’s story is specifically motivated by their relationships with their family and friends. As Akira talks, she envisions herself speaking directly to her father. Importantly, he is not at the conference, although her mother is by her side the entire event. This suggests that Lars is still in denial of his daughter’s views, but that she has grown past avoiding arguments with him. Even if she can’t sway one of her closest family members to her cause, it will not deter her from sharing her views with a wider, more open-minded audience. Owen and George think about each other, and how climate change nearly tore their relationship apart. Instead of wishing for more Arctic warming to make life in Churchill more economically viable and allow George to not move, they realize that the cold northern landscapes are the first front in the war on climate change, and that if the Arctic is destroyed, the ripple effects will cause mass havoc across the rest of the world. Natalie thinks about Tía Beatriz, and has a direct connection to her through Churro, who she has adopted.

The connections between the characters are hinted at throughout the book. Akira notices Sue’s scars at around the same time that Greg gets swatted in the back of the head, suggesting that she is the legendary Polar Bear Girl who moved away. The reader knows that Akira knew a babysitter named Patience who also moved, so when she is introduced in Natalie’s story, it is heavily suggested that she is the same person. Owen’s and George’s connection with Maria Martinez is suggested when “the Weather Lady” misses her trip to Churchill due to “bad weather,” a phrase that also highlights how little the boys pay attention to climate change in comparison to their counterparts in the other stories, as that “bad weather” is actually the worst hurricane to ever hit South Florida.

These connections become an important metaphor. Each character is connected by two degrees of separation, which reflects the two degrees of warming that many scientists predict lie between the planet and full-scale environmental collapse. It also highlights the interconnectedness of all people, animals, and natural environments that becomes a major theme by the end of the book.