It's not super clear what the permanent symbols in the story are. It's arguable that a displacement of emotions could be categorized in such a way. It was expressed repeatedly that the boys were afraid, but didn't know how to let them out, or channel them. They all had clear variances with their reactions, though they primarily were centered around drugs, girls, and façades.
This story takes me back to thinking where I was on September 11, 2001. I was seven years old and in 2nd grade. I was still new to the school, so I didn't really know any of my peers well enough to have the same sense of camaraderie as the boys in the story. I remember that I was in math class, and the teacher put on the tv as we all watched. That same day President George W. Bush was at the neighboring elementary school, reading along with one of the classes there. It wasn't until years later that I realized how intense that day was, and the dangers surrounding his presence at the time. Actually, the most prominent memory, or conversation, stemming from that day is that the President was reading his book upside down.
To adapt this story into another medium, the first step is definitely to cut out some of the filler information. Animation is increasingly growing as a medium for storytelling. It is no longer purely to captivate the attention of children. Now it can be used to narrate a storyline without the need to hire multiple actors, and on a lower budget. By removing the descriptions of characters, places, or other imagery to be replaced with illustrations, the story can be simplified and shortened to appeal to a wider audience. People no longer feel like they have time to read a full story. The faster they can receive information, the more likely they will care.
