47 pages • 1 hour read
Danielle L. JensenThe Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A 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
The Bridge
The bridge is a persistent symbol that acts as the focal point of the narrative. Within the context of Jensen’s world-building, “the bridge” is a massive, meandering natural structure—a monument that physically connects all the continents. Ithicana collects revenue by imposing tariffs impose traveling merchants who sell their wares in Southwatch market or travel on to other destinations. This complex market system allows Ithicana to store enough food, weapons, and gold for the people to weather the harsh landscape and yearly invasions.
However the bridge ironically isolates Ithicana even as it physically connects the nation with other realms, for although it does guarantee the nation a central place in global trade, the bridge also stands as the most coveted geographic asset in the world. This fact has historically forced Ithicanians to become soldiers who must perpetually defend their borders from would-be conquerors such as Amarid and Maridrina. These nations see the bridge as a means of gaining greater political power and wealth, for whoever controls the bridge could arguably control the world’s economy. In the hands of Aren and the Ithicanians, the bridge remains remain a neutral institution and an apolitical crossroads characterized by free trade. By the end of the novel, however, Silas gains control of the bridge and is intent upon altering the bridge’s purpose to suit his own ends.
Snakes
Snakes are a recurring motif that loosely support The Effects of Martyrdom and Zealotry and The Struggle to Balance Freedom With Security. In Ithicana, snakes are a persistent presence, and although they are dangerous, the locals see them as an annoyance, living in harmony with the reptiles despite the danger of being bitten and eaten. The presence of the snakes therefore emphasizes the fact that to live within Ithicana’s borders is to accept the omnipresence of danger and to live on guard against the possibility of attack. Thus, Aren’s act of braving the snakes on the beach illustrates the Ithicanians’ view that facing and surviving the dangers of the world is a necessary rite of passage. Though Aren and his guards spoke of this tradition as one performed in childhood, Aren reenacts the rite in order to signal the evolution of his and Lara’s relationship. After Lara saves him and Aren successfully avoids the snakes, they finally have their first honest conversation about their emotions. Together, they confront Silas’s deceit, and Lara’s perception over her role as Maridrina’s savior shifts dramatically.
Additionally, the snakes sometimes symbolize the dangers that lurk within the dynamics of marriage, as when Lara is twice warned about finding a snake in her bed. In this metaphor, Lara’s bed represents her marriage with Aren, and finding a snake within it foreshadows a danger that will ruin their growing connection. For Lara and Aren, this danger eventually materializes in the form of Marylyn.
The Sea
The sea is a motif that emphasizes the political dynamics of the narrative and illustrates the main characters’ motivations, fears, and histories. Commonly called the Tempest Seas, waters that separate the continents in The Bridge Kingdom are difficult to navigate and purposefully funnel trade through the only land-based passage available: the bridge. As a natural force, the sea perpetuates the political tensions between the various warring nations, and its destructive power prevents the formation of an international trading economy.
The sea also represents an obstacle for Lara, symbolizing her past trauma by reminding her of the waterboarding torture she experienced while training under Serin. For Aren, however, the sea stands as both an ally and an enemy. Because of its patterns, Aren can defend his nation along specific timelines (War Tides season), but he also views the sea negatively because his parents drowned in its depths during a storm.
