The Blue Betta Fish Symbol Analysis

Leila’s blue betta fish represents the cyclical nature of life and death, the idea that time is neither linear nor finite. Released into a creek on the day Leila is born—a cultural superstition intended to ensure a safe and smooth delivery—the fish highlights the interconnectedness of beginnings and endings. Binnaz envisions the newly freed betta fish swimming toward the ancient Tigris River, reflecting a sense of continuity that extends beyond individual lives and linking Leila’s story to the broader flow of history. When Leila’s body is released into the Bosphorus after her death, the betta fish appears once more, welcoming her into her new underwater world and symbolizing her transition into a new existence. This imagery emphasizes the idea of death as a natural return, a transformation rather than a conclusion, and highlights the possibility of freedom and peace after death.