Meaning of Myla's Sculpture

The sculpture that Myla is creating throughout the novel symbolizes her character’s ongoing self-discovery. While Myla is confident and self-assured, she struggles to find a point of view for her art piece. She is still exploring her artistic persona and experimenting with her creative voice. The author uses the evolution of Myla’s sculpture, from a mess of wires to a complete piece about nerve, to assert that that self-discovery and identity are not linear; a person can be self-assured and still have more to learn about themselves.