Symbol for legacy
In the first chapter, the narrator mentions how the leaders of the countries of the world all put great effort into making sure that their historical documents are safe and preserved. Despite knowing that there may not be someone left alive to read those documents in a few years, the governments still hoped that one day, the human species will be reborn and that someone will be able to read those documents. In this sense, the documents become a symbol for the past and for the hope that one day, someone will find them and be able to learn more about a civilization that lived in the past.
Symbol for death
Another important symbol in the novel is Theo’s father’s infected finger. Theo remembered the finger and how it looked like in the months preceding his father’s death and Theo was affected by the finger that reminded him that his father was going to die. After the father died, Theo associated the infected finger with death in general so it became a symbol for death.
Proud people
Another common motif found in the novel is the idea that the Omega generation was a proud one, hard to control, composed by people who didn’t cared about those around them. Theo talks extensively about the Omega generation as he witnessed their behavior first hand and he also theorizes that the reason why the Omegas behaved in such a way was because they had no hope for the future and thus did not feel the need to conform to social norms.
Symbol for hope
Theo talks about Generation Omega both in negative and in positive terms. For example, while mentioning the attitude the Omega generation exhibited, Theo also talked about the hope the whole world felt when the Generation Omega appeared. Thus, the new generation became a symbol for hope.
Symbol for power
When Theo meets his cousin again after a long period of time, the first thing he notices is that Xan is wearing the Coronation Ring, something he did not used to do when Theo was a member of the council. The ring is used here as a symbol for power and the reason why Xan is wearing it is because he wants to make Theo aware of the fact that he is the most powerful man in the country.
