The Past
A key motif of this text is the presence of the past, and how the past informs our lives. Brand shows how the repercussions of slavery lasted for many years and generations afterward, through her depiction of Marie Ursule's descendants.
Bola
For Marie Ursule, her daughter Bola is a symbol of hope for the future. She helps her daughter to escape, which is described as her "one little ambition."
The iron ring
Marie Ursule recalls the day she was forced into slavery, and the iron ring she was forced to wear around her ankle. For her, this ring represents her life sentence of emotional and physical suffering:
"Two years now, two years and more. But the memory of that ring of iron hung on, even after it was removed. A ghost of pain around her ankle."
The weather
Brand often uses the weather and landscapes in order to reflect the mood of the characters. For example, Marie Ursule's mood is reflected by the air, which "resembled blood gone bad."
Slavery
In this novel, slavery is a horrifying symbol of the darkness human beings are capable of. Brand describes Marie Ursule's experiences in detail, emphasizing the suffering she endured as a slave.
