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Chapter Twenty
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
Having witnessed magic for the first time, Inan stands shocked. He feels that he finally understands Saran. He knows Orïsha cannot survive if that kind of power exists—but, he also thinks he may be able to harness magic to get the job done. He reminds himself of his father’s words, that duty must come before all else. For the first time, Inan allows his magic to unfurl. With it, he sees visions of Lekan’s life in the temple.
Having observed firsthand the true extent of the power of magic, Inan now understands his father’s fear and his desire to stamp out magic. Saran perceives magic as a power imbalance threatening his rule and the stability of Orïsha. Inan now hopes to harness his own power in the service of suppressing others, much as Saran has done. Using his father’s mantra is a way for Inan to justify his loyalty to his family and his role as prince while ignoring his own conscience. Seeing Lekan’s life unfold gives Inan a glimpse into the sense of community and tradition provided by the maji, but Inan rejects that, focused only on the distribution of power.
Themes
Admiral Kaea approaches, and Inan convinces her that they should rebuild the bridge and pursue Zélie and Amari. Privately, Inan thinks that he will explore the temple to try to amplify his magic and aid their plan.
Inan continues to keep his powers a secret because of the prejudice against divîners. His only thought is to destroy them, and with them, the magic within himself.
Themes
