In chapter 9 in the book, Ashmol has a metal description saying "all this land where Lightning Ridge is now once covered by seawater and how all kinds of sea creatures had been found fossilized in the rock. I felt a shiver go down my spine..... Suddenly I thought how maybe if this amazinging was true it was just possible Pobby and Dingan were true too". Ashmol thinks that if the assumption of saying the town is once covered by sea water if true, then Pobby and Dingan can also be true. Because the town he lives is covered by desert entirely, it's hard to think about the land has ever been covered by water. Ashmol doesn't believe Kellyanne's friends are in reality, but this time by remembering what Dad has said, he realizes that everything is possible. Therefore Pobby and Dingan probably exist in the world. What's more, he doesn't want his sister to think that she has such a brother who "didn't believe anything". At least he can have a try to explore in the opal mine and maybe he is able to find something incredible in it.
This part is so important because it's like a plot showing how Ashmol changes his mind and attitude towards Pobby and Dingan. In the previous chapters, Ashmol is hardly believe what Kellyanne says. He doesn't believe anything about Pobby and Dingan. He thinks they are ridiculous. But after seeing his ill sister and remembering what Dad has ever told him, he realizes that if the whole world can be changed entirely during a long period of time, then nothing is impossible. Maybe his sister is right, maybe he himself just never notices Pobby and Dingan. This part Ashmol's attitude towards the two invisible friends has changed and after that Ashmol convinces that they do exist in the world. And thus he wants to help Kellyanne to hold a funeral for Pobby and Dingan in the next chapter.
2. In the very end of the novel, Ashmol talks about what it’s like to “believe in something which is hard to see. Or to keep looking for something that’s totally hard to find.” Discuss the importance of imagination and dreams in this novel. Why are they so important even if they cannot be seen. Consider what dreams Rex, the father, and Annie, the mother, have in the story. Consider, also, the dream that Ashmol has. How do those "unseen" dreams connect to Kellyanne's belief in Pobby and Dingan?
Imagination and dreams are always essential for people because they give us hope to life. They cannot be seen absolutely, but without them people won't have any enthusiasm to live or work. If we don't believe in anything, life will be boring and lack of creativity. Looking back at the history, if people didn't have any beliefs or imaginations for future, would computers, air planes and something else be invented? Certainly no. We need imagination and dreams to keeping working and exploring. In this novel, if the Williamson family has neither imagination nor dreams for life, they may be involved in such a bad situation forever- Dad is called "a ratter" without finding any opal and Kellyanne is dying because of the lost of friends. Only if they have hope and dream to for future can they get rid of this embarrassing condition. And everyone in the family is able to turn better.
Rex Williamson:
As a man in a family, he takes his family members to Lightning Ridge, where it is all covered by desert. He eagers to become rich by looking for opals like everyone else in the town in order to make a comfortable living condition for his wife and children. Also he wants his children to grow up healthily, so he cares a lot about Kellyanne. In his mind, to become a rich guy is important, but also family members are even more important than anything else.
Ashmol Williamson:
Ashmol wants to see his family members all healthy and happy. He doesn't want to lose any of them. He knows his mom is missing home, so he wants to sell the opal for a holiday for his mom. When he know his sister is really weak, he feels upset and anxious. He tries his best to make Kellyanne feel better. He also eagers to prove that his Dad is innocent, so he comes up with an idea by converting people's attention from Dad to Pobby and Dingan. The only dream he has is to have a happy family.
Those "unseen" dreams are sort of reflected in Kellyanne's belief in Pobby and Dingan. She believes Dingan has an opal belly button. She thinks Pobby and Dingan are always happy. That means she also wants everyone in the family is happy and full of hope to future.
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