The motif of gunshots shows up in the first sections of the novel and reappears throughout the text. Along with bringing the sounds of war to life for the reader, the repeated use of the word “bang” also disrupts the narrative, just as it disrupts the lives of the characters. Sepetys also employs the sounds of gunshots (and bombs and Russian aircraft) to unify the experiences of the characters, who, regardless of what they are thinking or doing, feel the same fear as the others when a shot is fired or the sound of a bomb reverberates through the atmosphere. The motif of gunshots closely relates to the motif of the hunter. 

Salt to the Sea is the story of the biggest maritime disaster of all time. The motif of water in its various forms appears throughout the text, including the title. The setting is January 1945, and temperatures are bitter—snow covers everything. It slows the movement of the evacuees on the frozen roads. The characters eat snow to avoid dehydration. The open waters of the Baltic Sea promise freedom to those desperately fleeing the region. The frozen lagoon provides a shortcut to the coast.