Voskuil writes: "His mother, distracted, had turned off the spotlights and he did not protest against the darkness." (468). Darkness can mean many things on a symbolic level, however for Gary it is a quiet place to sit and think about everything that happened that day. It had been a long, sad day for everyone on the beach and Gary needed time to absorb everything he had seen and heard before. Darkness can symbolize sadness, loss or even loneliness. For Gary this night contains all of this. The sadness of losing the boy to the ocean currents, the loss the boy's family and friends feel, and the sadness they feel too. Gary sits in the dark drinking his single malt because he doesn't mind being reminded of the events that happened earlier that day, this is a way that allows him to reflect for a while'.