This book pushes many boundaries, and opens a lot of doors of thought. There are simply too many events and themes of interest to present them all here, so I will have to limit myself to one subject. Michael Valentine Smith, the protagonist of the story, was raised on Mars, where water is a valuable commodity. Because of that upbringing he has a view that to share water with someone is an event of high significance. After sharing water with someone, Mr. Smith feels a bond towards them, and calls them his "water brother". This bond is a surprisingly strong one, as in Michael's opinion water brothers are bonded in an agape which is stronger than kinship. They would always help each other, and one's home is open to the other.
The idea of a ritual bonding is a very deep and interesting theme, and a return to the idea of breaking bread with someone. It is a symbolic transcendence of the simple phrase of "I love you", a phrase which only gives a brief feeling of what it is that is meant behind the words. To say "I love you" is to put words between you. In connecting by ritual, the character's transcend the symbols of agape, and truly become kin to each other.
What other rituals (other than weddings) does our culture provide for people to express their agape for one another?
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