Water (Symbol)
Throughout the text, water is used to symbolize life and power. Zélie, who feels most comfortable by the sea, reinvigorates herself by swimming. In Inan's dreamscape, she creates a waterfall and lake; when Zélie, Tzain, and Amari stop to bathe in the Gombe River Valley, Zélie fully relaxes.
Though water is symbolically restorative, it also represents the lethal side of power. For example, Baba nearly drowns in the ocean, and the arena in Ibeji is flooded to stage a deadly battle.
Inan's Sênet Pawn
Inan fidgets with a sênet pawn when he is insecure or suppressing his magic. Sênet is a strategy game Inan used to play with King Saran. It is only after Inan meets Zélie that he learns that the piece made of majicite, a material that harms maji like Inan.
The piece thus symbolizes Inan's devotion to the monarchy and his desire to gain his father's approval. Inan erroneously thinks the game piece grounds him and gives him purpose, though it actually hurts him; the tighter he clings to it, the more he is harmed. Likewise, the role King Saran assigned Inan superficially gives him comfort but forces Inan to disguise his true self and compromise his morals.
When Inan discards the piece at Zélie's urging, it symbolizes him switching allegiance from the monarchy to the maji.
Clothing
Clothing denotes wealth, class, and culture. West African garments, such as the dashiki, kaftan, and gele, are described in vivid detail. The nobles wear luxurious garments while the divîners wear "nothing but tattered rags."
Amari sells her valuable dress and changes into a commoner's cloak, symbolizing her commitment to restoring magic and resisting the monarchy.
Hair
In the colonial and post-colonial world, people with textured hair have faced discrimination socially and professionally. In Children of Blood and Bone, Adeyemi integrates hair into her magic system; natural, curly hair signifies great power.
The divîners are easily recognizable because of their white hair. In the Zu's camp, the diviners wear their "white hair braided, dreaded, and flowing," in a variety of styles, signifying their individuality as well as their shared culture. Zu, an incredibly adept maji, has white hair that "settles around her head, big and fluffy like a cloud.”
While her powers lay dormant, Zélie’s hair is “smooth as silk," but as her powers grow, her white hair becomes "coarse and thick, framing her beautiful face like a lionaire’s mane."
Stories and Legends
Stories and legends are invoked throughout the text to signify the importance and power of connecting with the past. Mama Agba relates the story of the Raid when the monarchy raises taxes on divîners to impress upon her students the importance of their work training with the staff.
Lekan relates the stories of the gods and goddesses to Zélie, Amari, and Tzain to impress upon them that the maji's relationship with the gods is essential for harmony and peace. Zélie recalls hearing the same stories from her mother; the stories connect her with her people's past and her own past.
