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Chapter Fifty-Four
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Children of Blood and Bone, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Prejudice and Inequality
Duty to Family vs. Self
Faith and Tradition
Cycles of Violence
Summary
Analysis
Zélie feels conflicted. She knows she shouldn’t trust Inan, but she’s also seen his kindness over the last couple of days. She realizes that he was able to see visions of her past. He says that seeing those memories made him realize how wrong his father, King Saran, is.
By seeing Zélie’s own experiences and feeling the intensity of her pain, Inan has gained empathy for the divîners and learned to further question his father’s ways.
Themes
Zélie begins to believe Inan really does want to change Orïsha for the better, despite herself. Inan says he can’t bear to see any more blood on his family’s hands. Inan swims closer, and Zélie’s heart pounds. He asks if she wants him to leave, and she says no. They begin to kiss.
Even though Tzain has warned her not to trust Inan, Zélie wants to follow her own heart, and maybe even be with him. Inan also wants to break away from his family, renouncing their past deeds. This shared desire brings them together.
Themes
Suddenly, Zélie and Inan are pulled violently out of the dream. Tzain throws Inan to the ground. Inan leaves for the camp, and Tzain yells at Zélie, asking how she can be so naive. He says Inan is the son of a killer—and a killer himself.
Tzain remains distrustful of Inan, linking him to Saran and the damage that Inan himself has already done. Tzain does not believe that Inan will choose a new path over loyalty to his father.
Themes
Tzain says that he’s glad their mother didn’t live to see Zélie sink to this level, and her magic erupts. Using her magic, she strikes his shoulder with an arrow-like shadow. Betrayed, Tzain storms away, ignoring her apologies and sobs.
To Tzain, Zélie has chosen her own desires and beliefs over loyalty to her family one too many times to be forgiven.
Themes
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