Symbol: The Hammer and Sickle
Not only does the hammer and sickle represent communism, but it is also symbolic of the Soviet Union's incompetence and ineptitude - particularly when handling the Chernobyl incident.
Symbol: The Pripyat Ferris Wheel
The Pripyat Ferris Wheel is not only symbolic of the Chernobyl disaster as a whole, it is symbolic of the loss of life and loss of innocence that occurred throughout the entire population of Pripyat, Ukraine.
Motif: Poor Training
One of the more prominent motifs in the book is the Chernobyl power plant operators' poor training. Higginbotham makes the point that -- because of poor training -- the Chernobyl disaster occurred when it could have been avoided.
Motif: Governmental Incompetence
There is a recurring motif of Governmental Incompetence throughout the book. Higginbotham uses this motif to make the point that the Soviet Union handled the crisis horribly and that more competent leadership would have resulted in much less damage to the area . Perhaps, Higginbotham argues, the disaster could have possibly not occurred with better leadership.
Symbol: Chernobyl's Control Room
The Chernobyl Power Plant's control room is symbolic of the failures of training and the Soviet government that ultimately resulted in the destruction of the power plant, death and disfigurement to hundreds, and profound damage to the Earth.
