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Chapter 3
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
On the underwater boat, or “mersive,” Farley takes Mare to visit Cal. Mare doesn’t like how Farley has treated Cal—with distrust and contempt—but she conceals her true feelings so that Farley won’t think her loyalties lie more with Cal than the Scarlet Guard. Mare knows Farley and the other Guardsmen underestimate how powerful Cal really is. They also underestimate Mare, who could destroy the ship with her electricity. She’s “the greatest weapon of all,” even if other people don’t recognize it. Mare recalls Shade’s words—“We seem weak because we want to”—and wonders if they have a double meaning.
Farley treats Cal as an enemy because Cal is a Silver prince and, as a Red, Farley opposes Silver royalty. Mare feels caught in the middle of this Red vs. Silver conflict because she’s loyal to the Scarlet Guard’s cause but doesn’t view Cal as an enemy. On top of that, Mare knows her association with Cal makes the Guard less willing to trust her, so she must reassure the Guard of her allegiance through a careful balancing act. Moreover, Mare starts to believe that Shade may have been advising her to hide how powerful her ability makes her. If she stands out too much for being a newblood instead of seeming like an ordinary Red, she could be unfairly treated with the same fear and hostility that Reds direct against Silvers.
Active
Themes
Farley and Mare reach Cal’s door. When Farley taunts Cal, Mare chides her, and Farley flinches away out of fear of being touched by the lightning girl. Embarrassed with herself, Farley leaves. Alone, Mare and Cal interact awkwardly. Mare remembers how they danced together and kissed while she was still Mareena. The time she spent as Mareena is impossible to forget, even if she considers Mareena dead.
Farley’s instinctive fear of Mare’s ability exemplifies the prejudice that many Scarlet Guard members hold against Mare. They don’t trust Mare despite her red blood and loyalty to the same cause because they fear Mare’s lightning power just as much as they fear and distrust Silver abilities. Meanwhile, Mare struggles with her identity and relationship with Cal. She feels attracted to Cal, but she also feels disconnected from the version of herself who spent time with him in the Silver court.
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Themes
Mare realizes she doesn’t know what Cal wants. The only thing they share is their desire for vengeance. Cal tells Mare that she’s as cornered as he is, and he implies that the Scarlet Guard is using her just as Maven once used her. They grow angry at each other until Mare changes the subject. When silence falls between them, Mare realizes she doesn’t want to leave Cal, even though being with him is uncomfortable.
By the electricity flowing through the mersive, Mare can tell they’ve almost reached their destination. She’s excited to see her family on Tuck, although she’s also eager to search for the newbloods in Norta. The floor tilts as the mersive begins to surface, and Mare and Cal crash into each other painfully. Mare wishes for Sara Skonos, a Silver skin healer who could fix her injuries. Her mention of Sara brings up painful memories for Cal. Sara knew that Elara killed Cal’s mother, the former queen. Years ago, Elara cut out Sara’s tongue for speaking the truth. Now, Mare doesn’t even know if Sara is still alive or not.
Active
Themes
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Mare and Cal go out into the corridor as the mersive surfaces. Kilorn finds them and leads them to the ladder, where Mare and Cal ascend into the stormy night. Bree, Mare’s oldest brother, helps her onto the dock. Mare sees barracks, hangars, and stolen transports on the island. Cal follows uneasily. When Bree speaks coldly to Cal, Mare thinks that joining the Scarlet Guard has changed Bree, turning him harsher.
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Themes
Soldiers emerge from a hangar and march toward Mare and Cal, led by a frightening man with a bloody eye. Bree holds Mare back and promises that the soldiers won’t hurt Cal. Mare realizes this trap is not for her—it’s for Cal, the exiled prince, who poses a threat to the Scarlet Guard. However, this treatment of Cal upsets Mare, because she thinks he can be a helpful weapon against Maven, just like herself and the other newbloods. The soldiers’ leader forces Cal to his knees and appears to enjoy asserting power over a former prince. But Mare, as the lightning girl, thinks this man doesn’t know what “true power” is.
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