What symbolism can be found in Diego's painting of Henry in the novel, We Are the Ants?

Diego’s final art piece in the novel of Henry and his family is a representation of Henry’s journey and his road to recovery. He manages to pull together the vastness of the space that Henry loves while not minimizing his joy. Diego also illustrates the family and friends that have contributed to Henry’s life and shows how all of them have turned him into the person Diego sees: a caring and special young man. This is why Henry initially cannot look at the painting because he is unable to accept that he is that person that Diego sees. In the end, this is also why Henry is able to keep the painting once he returns from the hospital, as he finally accepts the good parts of himself that he was pushing aside.