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Chapter 11
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Glass Sword, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Oppression, Cruelty, and Inequality
Division and Hierarchy
Identity and Change
Betrayal, Distrust, and Isolation
Justice vs. Vengeance
Summary
Analysis
As Mare and the others take Nix back to the Blackrun, Mare wonders if recruiting him was too easy. With dread, she reminds herself, “Anyone can betray anyone.” Even though Nix is a fellow newblood, Mare shuts herself off from him and focuses her attention on the next names on her list instead.
Mare’s fear of betrayal leads her to sabotage herself. Even though Mare previously hoped that finding the other newbloods would help ease her loneliness, Mare refuses to let Nix’s company provide her any comfort, and she rejects the opportunity to form a new, trusting relationship with Nix. It also doesn’t bode well that Mare thinks of the other newbloods as mere items on a list rather than people she could befriend. She’s so narrow-mindedly focused on her goal that she neglects newbloods’ humanity—including her own.
Active
Themes
As she walks through the woods, Mare tries to imagine what victory will look like. Her vision involves a newblood army and a Red uprising throughout Norta. She hopes Maven will admit defeat before either side of the war pays too high a cost. As her thoughts turn to Maven, Mare imagines him standing like a ghost in rain, which transforms into red blood. Mare forcibly pushes the nightmarish image away.
Mare believes that in order to achieve justice, newbloods and Reds together must oppose their Silver enemies. Mare also believes that justice cannot be attained through peaceful means; only violence, great sacrifice, and the complete overturning of Norta can accomplish victory. Mare doesn’t want too many lives to be lost, but she thinks it’s Maven’s responsibility to prevent too much bloodshed—not her own. Mare’s haunting vision of Maven reflects her fear that he’ll make her bleed before she can destroy him.
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Themes
Farley tells Nix the truth about the Scarlet Guard to counter the lies that Silvers have spread about the resistance. The Guard have been branded as terrorists, although “the real enemy” is the king. Nix asks if the rumors about Mare are true—that she seduced Cal and manipulated him into murdering his father, the former king. Kilorn defends Mare, and Cal recounts how Queen Elara controlled his mind and forced him to kill his father. He says Elara murdered his mother too and will destroy the rest of her enemies if she gets the chance. Mare declares she’ll kill Elara first.
Mare and the others reach the Blackrun safely. Nix is amazed to watch Mare power on the jet with her electricity. He asks what Kilorn can do, and Mare sees jealousy flash across Kilorn’s face. She’s surprised, because she never thought Kilorn would want to be like the Silvers, especially since he once expressed anger that Mare had become like their enemies. Kilorn answers that he can catch fish, and Nix amiably says he’s a crabber. Kilorn smiles at Nix’s friendliness.
Active
Themes
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Cal flies the Blackrun toward Harbor Bay, where two more newbloods reside. A third newblood lives in the slums of New Town nearby. Mare drifts off to sleep, but later in the night she overhears Farley and Cal hold a quiet conversation. Cal has been circling the jet over the ocean to allow everyone, especially Mare, to rest. At first, Mare is angry that Cal is wasting time, but then she feels exhausted. Ice sits inside her chest, filling her with cold. Beneath the ice is emptiness, and Mare doesn’t know how to fill the abyss. Nonetheless, she tells herself she must heal. Meanwhile, Cal apologizes to Farley for torturing her in the past, and Farley accepts his apology.
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Themes
The Blackrun lands near Harbor Bay the next morning. To get into the city, Farley plans to use old tunnels that run underneath the Port Road. As Farley makes preparations, Kilorn and Nix bond over what it’s like to be Red and grow up in poverty. They chat good-naturedly about mundane things, which makes Mare envy them. She wishes she could join their conversation, but she feels too abnormal to do so.
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Themes
Farley wants Mare and Cal to accompany her and Shade into Harbor Bay. Cal fears that he and Mare will be caught and jeopardize the mission. However, Mare insists that they both go. To convince Cal, she lies that she’ll kill anyone who recognizes her.
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