Andre is the narrator and the driving force of the novel. Whether he is sitting at home or wandering the streets in search of food, he is alone, save for the companionship of his dog. He is committed to preserving the history of the town, and he attempts to absorb its memories and to tell its story. However, over time, Andre becomes more disoriented as a result of his age and his isolation, and he even begins to see ghosts. As the buildings around him rot and crumble, his memories fade. The unreliable point of view shows how even for a man who is fighting change, change is inevitable -- and that even memories can change with time.
There is very little plot in the classic sense, with rising action and a climax that leads to a resolution. Because the story is driven by character, much of the action and the conflict take place inside Andre's head. Through Andre's memories, the reader learns about his wife's suicide, the loss of his 4-year-old daughter, the loss of a son in the Spanish Civil War, and his estrangement from another son who moved away to pursue his dreams. Through each loss, Andre experiences the harsh realities of the inevitability of change, and he clings to tradition even more. By not allowing himself to accept change, Andre is haunted by the past, creating an internal ghost world that matches the one in the abandoned town.
Andre frequently walks through the town to relive his memories through the houses and buildings. The town is littered with decay. Buildings are rotting at such an alarming rate that Andre has become immune to the sound of walls falling. All around Andre are images of change. Even if he refuses to accept changes in his relationships or his ideology, time moves forward and brings with it changes in nature. The "yellow rain" from the title consists of falling yellow leaves. The leaves and autumn are symbols of aging, change and decay. Andre is in the autumn of his life, and he will soon change as well, even if he doesn't want to do so.
Every element of the novel is working together to enhance the theme, which is that change is inevitable and we must all accept it. Those who don't accept change, like Andre, will become static and will lose out on many of the joys life has to offer. At the same time, the theme shows that it is important to honor the past and carry a part of it with you, even if not clinging to it. The theme invites readers to consider values and traditions from their own heritage and how they have been preserved or evolved.