Symbol for femininity
As a part of a ritual, Orual and her sister have their hair cut when their mother dies. The maids lament the loss of the girls’ hair because they see it as a symbol for femininity. By cutting their hair, the girls are stripped from their identity and are made equal to one another.
The place where all knowledge comes from
A motif found in the novel is the idea that Greece is the place where knowledge and wisdom in general originated from. Because of this, the King brings a Greek slave to his palace to teach his children and does not rely on the wisdom of the men in his kingdom.
The tree of knowledge
The Fox usually thought the girls while sitting under a pear tree in the garden. The place where the girls are taught is important because the tree symbolizes knowledge. In fact, the idea of knowledge and trees is connected in various mythologies, including the Nordic one.
In need of a son
Another motif found in the novel is the obsession the King has with getting a son. The King is not satisfied with having only daughters and he is willing to sacrifice his kingdom in order to get the son he wanted.
Not good enough
Another important motif in the book is the idea that Orual is made to feel incompetent most of the time. She is often told that she is not good enough and thus she grows with the impression that in her father’s eyes, she is not worthy. She will continue to feel this way throughout the novel.
