[novella000]

Yes, I would have to agree with you both regarding the fire.

I kind of looked at it in a different light, but along the same lines.
There were some Biblical undertones to the fire as well... The death of the baby Hamlet. I like to refer to it as a sacrifice. If you are familiar with the Old Testament of the Bible, you will see what I mean.

You know how in the Old Testament, sin was carried from generation to generation via bloodline... To regain the favor of God, a burnt sacrifice of an innocent lamb had to be offered before the people... Hamlet was that sacrifice.

But once the "savior" (TRUTH in the story) came life could begin... just as the Bible tells. But upon the arrival of the savior, those who didn't submit and get their act together and acknowledge the TRUTH (or the Savior, however you wanna view it) were to be taken in the fire.

Looking even further back, if you recall the story of Noah and the Ark, the earth was first cleansed with water... After the cleansing, everything was pure. I view the occurrences between Walter and Grace in the same fashion.
Walter's father had committed some grave sins, and hid from them with hatred and lies. His children could have been the end of that, but he would not allow love and truth to cleanse him.
Walter and Grace knew that their love was pure, and that was the only truth they knew, waaaaayyyy back in the day when Walter used to "bathe his angel." That was the last time any truth had prevailed in that family, we all know that it was downhill from there. If Walter's father had been able to handle that situation in a loving manner and guide his children, all of the future situations we read about may have ben averted.
God promised that the next time fire would be His choice cleanser... Same way with the Martins and the Botens.
What do you folks think?
I have some more things I've been thinking about... I'll be back.