Adeyemi 2/3

 Elizabeth Thompson

Dr. Ellis

EN 376

23 October 2023

Zélie and Inan’s Relationships with Fear

            Zélie and Inan have both been victims of abuse and shame from the king, directly and indirectly, yet they are enemies for the majority of the book. Their different experiences and internalizations of pain depict how abuse can be cyclical.

            The trauma of her mother’s death has a profound impact on Zélie’s psychology. While her mother’s memory is a source of strength, it also reminds Zélie of her vulnerability. After arguing with Inan, she thinks, “It doesn’t matter how strong I get…They (non-maji) will always hate me in this world” (312). Because of her mother’s death, Zélie carries vengeful anger, a sense of duty as the daughter of a powerful reaper, and ultimately fear that those things will not be able to stand against the regime that killed the strongest person in her life.

            Alternatively, Inan has been taught to fear and shame the magic within himself because it is dangerous. Where Zélie views magic as a spiritual power stolen from maji, Inan views it as a disease. Zélie tells him, “You fight for a man who will always hate you just because of what you are” (324). Inan’s fear of his father and fear of himself stems from internalized shame at his own identity, and he experiences the mental pain of repressing that side of himself. In doing so, he breaks his ability to connect with others in the maji community like Zélie. At one point, Zélie tells him, “I won’t let your ignorance silence my pain” (315). His internalized shame not only distorts beliefs about himself but others as well which continues the cycle of abuse. To Inan, his father’s love is won by hating others. To choose himself and his magic would be to renounce his father. However, the pain of repressing one’s own existence is often worse than being loved for someone they are not.

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