Essay Questions

Why is Cassandra Clare depicting marriage as the biggest paradox in the novel Chain of Iron?

Marriage is a union of two people who love each other. Therefore, the driving force for marriage is love. The reader expects the marriage described in the novel between James and Cordelia to be based on love. Ironically, James and Cordelia are getting married only to preserve their families' reputations. Clare shows readers that any marriage not based on love is bound to fail. Towards the end, the reader discovers that James and Cordelia are unhappy because they do not understand each other.

How does the author build the theme of love and sacrifice?

The concept of love and sacrifice is evident throughout the book. The primary protagonists, James and Cordelia are perfect examples of characters who forgo their happiness to please their families. For instance, James and Cordelia marry each other purposely to preserve their families’ reputations. James loves Grace but they cannot get married because she comes from a low-income family. Cordelia knows James does not love her, but she defends him. In addition, Cordelia puts her life in danger to save her friends. The other person in the novel who puts her life in danger is Grace Lucie when she rescues Jesse from the grave. Consequently, the Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare shows that love and sacrifice regularly go hand in hand.

What drives the investigation of the mysterious murders in the protagonists' neighborhood?

In Maslow hierarchy of needs, safety becomes the second component after psychological needs. People need safety to live in harmony when they satisfy their basic needs. James and Cordelia discover a series of mysterious deaths in their neighborhood. The mysterious murder of Cordelia's father compels James and his wife to launch an investigation to end the unnecessary killing of innocent people.