Symbol: Water
Water is one of the most significant and recognizable symbols in the entire novel. Water is incredibly sacred because it is so rare as a result of the effects of climate change (which was caused by humans).
Symbol: Tea masters
The tea masters are another powerful symbol of how society has changed. Prior to climate change causing water to be in short supply, tea masters were not even thought of. People could turn on a faucet and water would magically appear. However, as water became more sacred, tea masters showed up to safeguard and distribute the water. They are at the top of the societal hierarchy, showing how society changed.
Symbol: The army
The army of Noria's country is symbolic of the oppression and violence Noria and the other people in her country must contend with on a daily basis. They are the entity that is always at the back of their mind. The army is a threat to their lives, safety, and prosperity—all of which are hard to achieve because the world is in turmoil.
Motif: Death
Death is the most important motif in the novel. Noria's father dies fairly early on in the novel. Additionally, background characters die fairly frequently (because of the lack of water, large swaths of people have died). Death, in other words, is on many characters' minds quite often.
