67 pages • 2 hours read
Sarah J. MaasA Court of Silver Flames
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2021A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Magical Objects
Throughout the novel, Nesta makes or finds many magical objects. These are symbols that speak to the theme of Mastering Emotions. After Nesta herself was Made by the Cauldron, she senses power in herself but seems unable to control it. In fact, she does her best to suppress these mysterious powers just as she suppresses her negative emotions. Once she begins to direct her physical and emotional energies more constructively, she creates objects of power. The first indication of this new level of personal control occurs when Nesta forges three weapons. She feels a sense of direction and purpose as she hammers the blades into shape. The result is a sword, a dagger, and a broadsword, all with magical properties.
Aside from the objects she makes, Nesta also learns to manage two objects from the Dread Trove so that they do her bidding, another indication of her increasing control. When she dons the Mask, she uses it to kill the kelpie and briefly raise an army of the dead. Significantly, she says of the kelpie, “Though she had fought back against Tomas, against the Cauldron, against the King of Hybern, they had all happened to her. […] Not today. Today, she would happen to him” (369). She exerts similar control over the Harp, first using it to rescue Cassian and later using it to suspend time to save Feyre’s family. In each case, Nesta’s proficiency in making and using magical objects demonstrates her growing ability to master herself.
The House of Wind
The House of Wind isn’t merely a dwelling. It possesses sentience and a personality of its own and acts for Nesta’s benefit at many points in the story. The structure relates to the theme of Alienation and Connection and symbolizes both these qualities. Nesta is first sent there to separate her from the rest of the world. The house’s 10,000 steps make it extremely difficult for anyone to gain access to or egress from the place. The house is also warded with magic to prevent unwanted intruders. Because of its isolation, the house becomes not only an ideal prison for Nesta but also an ideal refuge for the abused priestesses who want no contact with the outside world. Both Nesta and the priestesses are alienated from the world and isolated from it by the house.
Ironically, the house will later offer the first means of connection for Nesta and the priestesses. By anticipating Nesta’s physical needs and providing for her comfort, the house gains her trust. Nesta declares that the house may be her only friend. This tentative connection to an unseen presence then allows Nesta to reach out further. She invites the priestesses to join in her training sessions, which are also conducted on the roof of the house. Through training, Nesta gains two more friends in Gwyn and Emerie. The house itself later forges a stronger connection with Nesta by showing her its core in the fearful lowest level of the library. Nesta recognizes that the house has been abused too. Like its inhabitants, it is learning to trust and connect again.
Valkyries
The Valkyries are formidable female warriors. At the beginning of the novel, they have gone extinct, but their legend exerts a strong influence over Nesta and her friends. The Valkyries symbolize female power, and they relate to the theme of Overcoming Male Abuse. In the initial stages of Nesta’s training, she is coached by males. Even though Cassian and Azriel are benign figures, Nesta is more inspired by the stories of female warriors. She makes her first breakthrough when Gwyn tells her about the Valkyrie technique for calming the mind. Nesta’s need to control her inner turmoil is initially far more important than any battle skills that Cassian can teach her.
After developing a semblance of emotional clarity, Nesta then extends her interest in the Valkyries to their fighting techniques. To his credit, Cassian readily consents to incorporate these into his training regimen. Ultimately, what Nesta and her friends learn from the Valkyries will be critical to their ability to survive the Blood Rite.
At many points during the ordeal, the three females are taunted or threatened by misogynistic Illyrian males. Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie individually prove their resourcefulness against superior numbers and purported superior male strength. They are even stronger collectively when they help each other reach the summit of the mountain and win the competition. Each one has suffered male abuse, and the legacy of the Valkyries shows them how to liberate themselves not simply with weapons but with inner strength.
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By Sarah J. Maas
