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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
Tzain and Amari slip through the town of Gombe, where the guard fortress is located. Tzain knocks on a metal door where a gruff voice asks for a password. The password he knows is out-of-date. Tzain gives the name of a friend, who comes to the door and lets them in. He and Tzain are on rival sports teams; Tzain masks his fear about Zélie, and they step inside the bar. The bar is overflowing with divîners, and only a few kosidán, all of whom are there with romantic partners who are divîners. Tzain says many cities have secret places like this one, where divîners can meet in peace
The widespread persecution of divîners and Orïsha has necessitated the creation of enclaves like this one, where even the most innocuous activities must be carried out in secrecy and fear. The prohibition against relationships between divîners and kosidán is a cruel way of emphasizing divîners’ status as dangerous Others.
Themes
Tzain warns that his friends here are loyal but guarded. They are happy to see him and there is an air of celebration. Amari interrupts the greetings to say that they need help. The group grows serious as Tzain explains. They say there is nothing to be done—the guards are ruthless. Amari shudders to think of the damage the guards have caused.
Hearing the experience of the divîners and their friends drives home for Amari the fact that guards are ruthless enforcers of prejudice, and not as peacekeepers. Prejudice against divîners is not only widespread but institutionalized in this way.
Themes
Amari pulls out the scroll and says that with magic, they can break in. Frightened by the sight of the scroll, two of the girls grab Amari and drag her sharply out of the bar. She sees that they are afraid more than angry, and she reveals her identity. She also says that she is the future queen of Orïsha, deciding in that moment that she must circumvent the line of succession to gain the throne over Inan.
Magic has been stigmatized and demonized so much by the monarchy that just the mention of it makes divîners afraid. Saran has effectively forged a link between the practice of magic and ruthless acts of oppression, convincing divîners that any attempt on their part to regain power would result in certain death.
Themes
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Amari advocates for using magic to seize power as the only way of overturning the oppression of the monarchy and, eventually, bringing peace. Amari knows that fighting back is justified and is the only way to bring justice.
Themes
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