In the story, when Rolf finds Acuzena trapped in clay, he sees a lot more. This girl is trapped with no way out. No hope. All he needs is a pump to rescue her but no one will bring one. It makes him see himself in her, trapped in memories, trapped in the past.
We are all buried by something. Rolf was buried by memories of the war and what it did to his family, the rage of his father, and his guilt for the death of his sister. Everyone has things of the past that keep us from moving on, the