Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Power, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Violence
Corruption
Gender Reversals and Sexism
Stories, History, and Perspective
Religion and Manipulation
Revolution and Social Change
Summary
Analysis
In the days that follow, Margot gives interviews about Jocelyn’s injuries. She says that terrorism against Americans can strike anywhere, and that it is important for global enemies to know that America is strong and can retaliate.
Just like Jocelyn, Margot is corrupted by this toxic desire not to look weak, and for America not to look weak. Her perspective reinforces the implicit connection in international relations between the ability to cause violence on a global scale and the power that a country can hold.
Themes
A phone call comes shortly after saying that there is a credible threat from a male extremist group, which has posted pictures from inside the Republic of Women: the pictures taken by Tunde, whom they believe has been dead for weeks. Fueled by these images, the North is threatening to attack Bessapara.
This progression of violence shows not only the importance of the perspective of people recording history, but also how that history is then presented to the rest of the world. Rather than using the pictures to remedy the injustices in the way that Tunde might have hoped, the extremist groups only push the world even further towards global warfare.
Themes
The United States President calls Margot, asking for her advice. Margot tell him that he needs to be stronger than ever. She explains that if North Moldova is assisting and radicalizing American terrorists, they have to send a message. Unbeknownst to the president, there is a bonus in Margot’s contract if NorthStar deployments top fifty thousand women. It would buy her a private island. Margot thinks, “Burn it all down.”
Margot’s decisions are once again based not on a true desire to help her daughter or to bring more justice into the world. Instead, she is fueled by a desire for money and vengeance, completely corrupted by the power that she has gained.
Themes
