Themes and Motifs
Themes[edit | edit source]
"War takes."[edit | edit source]
A phrase and theme. Said by older survivors of the war as a warning for the younger generation to heed, and used as a stand-in response by many to explain various loss.
- Throughout the story, so much is revealed about how much has been lost due the war. On Mars, it is self-evident as no person or place has been left untouched. On Earth, the loses are much more suppressed: some deaths left relatively unmentioned, but more importantly the loss of the potential future. The material benefits of winning the war hide the unquantifiable losses.
- Used by Monarch as a warning against war. Heir-Apparent is too pro-war. Juliet learns the lesson and one of her flaws is to wish against war at all costs.
Motifs[edit | edit source]
Loneliness and Separation[edit | edit source]
There is an unspoken sense of regret between the people of Earth and Mars about the war. Mars represented the best optimistic hope for humanity's future, and that dream has died.
This regret is mirrored in many of the characters, and how they view their lives and positions.