Zelie’s scars
Zélie carries the scars on her back that remind her of the violence and hatred against her and the people she represents. The scarring that the previous king Saran embedded into her back, with the demeaning and offensive word used to dehumanize the maji, is a symbol that reminds her that the war will never be over, her people never be free unless the root of that hatred is destroyed.
Dropping the burial oil
The novel opens up with Zélie preforming a burial rite for her Baba. While she does so, she drops the precious burial oil, and it shatters. This scene shows Zélie’s despair and inner conflict-she is driven by vengeance but also tired and afraid. She is unable to put her father to rest, because she is unable to let him go. Zélie doesn’t feel strong enough to face the battle on her own.
The poisonous majacite gas
The majacite gas, that weakens and kills the maji, is the ultimate weapon that Nehanda and the monarchy uses against the maji. It was created by the maji, two clans combining their powers, and it shows the extent and dangers of the magic put into wrong hands.
Inan offering food to Iyika
Inan’s desperate attempt to bring peace to the land by giving the Iyika half of the food rations, and their destruction of it is significant, and it represents just how much the maji have suffered, ready to sacrifice their lives, putting the fight for freedom first. Inan’s attempt at peace is immature because it undermines the years of oppression the maji had to endure and scars they have to carry.
