48 pages • 1 hour read
Rachel GilligOne Dark Window
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2022A 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
(Family) Trees
Trees are a recurrent symbol in One Dark Window, representing Blunder’s magical origins. They surround the kingdom, serving as the god-like Spirit of the Wood’s misty domain. In an homage to the Spirit, Blunder’s citizens choose a tree to serve as both family name and house insignia—and with them, social power. For example, Elspeth’s family, the Spindles (named after trees with pink fruit), have high standing in court due to being one of Blunder’s oldest noble houses. The Rowans (trees with red fruit, often associated with magic) are the royal family, while the Hawthorns (other trees with red fruit) are a lesser noble house. According to Emory Yaw, “If the Shepherd King did live here [in the Yew estate], he would have taken the name of the trees [in proximity], the way everyone did” (271). Plants are also used as names, as Ravyn’s team members, Wik and Petyr, have “Ivy” as their family name.
False Histories
In the novel, historical documents are a motif used to other and fearmonger. The ancient text, The Old Book of Alders, was allegedly left behind by the Shepherd King. It is meant to be a history of him and the Spirit, an instruction manual on how to use the former’s Providence Cards and lift the latter’s mist. While it gives an account of the Shepherd King’s sacrifices, necessary to create the Cards, the text is manipulated by the Rowans and weaponized against infected. This history is sanitized and difficult to access, giving the royal family greater control over Blunder’s citizens: “There is no record of it [the Twin Alders Card] being traded, no history of its use. The only two documents that even speak of it are The Old Book of Alders and the history of Brutus Rowan, the first Rowan King” (161).
Colors
In the novel, colors are a motif used to indicate identity and power—as well as reinforce the theme of Family and (Dis)Loyalty. For example, crimson is the Spindles’ house color, illustrating their high standing in court. For Elspeth, colors take on a different meaning, as she can see hidden Cards with the Nightmare’s help. Like her family’s crimson, the red of the Scythe Card becomes an identifier for the powerful Rowans, typically Elm or Hauth; the purple of the Nightmare Card becomes an exclusive identifier for Ravyn, as he is her fellow wielder of the Card.
