The snow leopanaire is King Saran’s royal seal, which he adopted following the Raid. The leopanaire is a symbol of the oppressive, terrifying nature of absolute rule, which governs through fear. It also points to the particular ideology of the monarchy, which is rooted in dehumanization and discrimination. The snow leopanaire as a logo was chosen because it symbolizes purity, demonstrating the ways in which the caste system enforced by the nobility is steeped in dehumanization and oppression. The nobility views the maji and divîners as “maggots,” unclean, second-class citizens. The leopanaire also demonstrates the way in which the monarchy’s strength and control is maintained through violence and fear, because it is a fearsome predator meant to inspire awe and terror.
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The timeline below shows where the symbol Snow Leopanaire appears in Children of Blood and Bone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Twenty-Two
...others suffered deeply. She sees King Saran’s royal seal etched into the wall, depicting a snow leopanaire .
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