Although Thomas—and, it would seem, everyone else in the village—accepts that poverty, disease, and sadness are inevitable parts of the human experience (“that’s how it is”), Kira uses her artistic knowledge to see through this falsehood. While it’s certainly true that history is full of sadness and pain, it’s also true that there are times of happiness and peace—it’s not enough, then, to accept that there has always been pain and so everyone should just accept it. It’s up to artists like Kira to lead the villagers toward better times by making them believe in hope and progress.