Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Children of Virtue and Vengeance, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Systems of Oppression
Cycles of Violence
Tradition and History
Love vs. Duty
Summary
Analysis
Over the next few hours Amari steps into a leadership role, since Zélie opposes her plan. Amari and the other elders consider their attack. They decide to go to Ibadan and send the Seconds with everyone else to Lagos. The elders then discuss the question of the villagers in Ibadan, whom Nehanda and Inan might use as shields. Carefully, Jahi points out that since Ibadan is surrounded by mountains they don’t need to be especially specific with their attacks, but Amari cuts him off and says they must keep the villagers safe. She waves Tzain over to help since he and Zélie grew up in Ibadan. He shares that there are underwater caves that run from outside the mountains to lakes just north of Ibadan. With the plans finalized, Amari and the elders organize a party. Mama Agba raises a toast to their future.
Jahi demonstrates here that he can be just as ruthless as Amari, since he basically suggests that the Iyika kill the villagers if it means also getting to kill Nehanda and Inan. That Amari opposes him at this point shows that she’s trying hard to do better than Saran, who would likely have no problem sacrificing villagers to achieve his goals. It’s important that Amari make this effort to look kind and compassionate now, since she’s the de facto leader of the Iyika at this point—and while they want to win, they also want to be better than Saran.
Themes
