35 pages • 1 hour read
A Touch of Darkness
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Themes
Love is Worth Fighting For
Three different types of love are shown in A Touch of Darkness: familial, romantic, and platonic. Persephone’s struggle to learn and navigate these different types of relationships makes up one of the central conflicts of the novel, as she often finds the desires of her loved ones in conflict with each other. Her reconciliation with Hades, her friendship with Lexa, and her attempts to fix her relationship with her mother all relate to the theme that Love is Worth Fighting For.
The romantic love between Hades and Persephone is also the love that is most fraught with difficulty. They meet under the guise of Hades’s contract, a system that Persephone deplores and believes herself to be trapped by. Her disdain for his attempts to improve mortal lives is a source of conflict that seems irreconcilable between the two of them, despite their mutual physical attraction. However, when Hades shows that he endeavors to help people and follows Persephone’s guidance in doing so, he proves that he is willing to fight for her affection by changing his behaviors. He overcomes his preconceived notions to help her feel seen and valued. After their rift, Persephone spends much time reflecting on Hades’s love and her own role in her future happiness. She concludes that she is capable of forgiving him, and that forgiveness opens her heart to him again. Thus, they fight both internal and external conflict to develop and reconcile their relationship.
Platonic love plays out through Lexa and Persephone’s relationship. Their friendship is strong, but Persephone limits its depth by withholding her divine status. This is ultimately revealed after Demeter revokes her favor, unintentionally exposing Persephone’s true nature as a goddess to her best friend. Lexa quickly adjusts to Persephone’s divinity and even goes so far as to comfort her friend when she is faced with the idea of a magicless life, stating “[…] you are kind and compassionate and you fight for your beliefs, but mostly, you fight for people. That’s what gods are supposed to do, and someone should remind them, because a lot of them have forgotten” (332). Her unwavering support of Persephone, even in the face of huge revelations, shows that friendships are built on more than convenience or superficial connections. She fights through her discomfort that Persephone is a god and the sense of betrayal provoked by having her roommate’s true identity kept from her; instead, she chooses to continue showing support, love, and affection for her friend. She negates her negative emotions and fights for her friendship, providing an example of devotion to platonic love.
Familial love does not have a clean resolution within A Touch of Darkness. The original mythos outlines many familial relationships between the Greek gods; these relationships are alluded to but are either tumultuous or simply remain unaddressed and undeveloped in the novel. Persephone and Demeter’s connection is the central relationship of the novel, and it showcases the way that family can be toxic. Demeter views Persephone as an extension of herself, refusing to acknowledge her status as an individual. This also prevents her from seeing Persephone as an adult, which is reinforced through her insistence of the nickname “Kore,” meaning maiden, for her daughter. Many of Persephone’s choices are made to differentiate herself from her mother, but they remain within the confines of Demeter’s power. When Persephone has power of her own and is confident in herself, she attempts to transition their relationship from parent-child to that of two adults, shifting their connection away from the dependency of her childhood. This reveals that Persephone believes that the love of her mother is worth fighting for; she is willing to set aside the wrongs that were committed against her so the two of them can create a new bond. Although the result of this initiative is a rift between the two women, her failed efforts reinforce the theme; she continues to fight for and value their relationship despite its inherent difficulties.
The Difference Between Rumors and Truth
As a young, powerless goddess, Persephone has one foot in the mortal world and the other in the divine realm. This provides her with access to information from both sources, culminating in her receiving conflicting information that shapes her approach to life. She joins New Athens News in pursuit of truth, seeking to parse the rumors that surrounded her in childhood. Many parts of Persephone’s journey reinforce the Difference Between Rumors and Truth, tracing her path to autonomy alongside her pursuit for accuracy.
Hades is the novel’s clearest victim of rumors, as much of the narrative is spent grappling with his contracts and what they really are. People speculate on and misconstrue his actions, painting him as deplorable. Hades is reluctant to address the claims people make about him, eventually explaining to Persephone that “Words are used to spin stories and craft lies, and occasionally they are strung together to tell the truth” (257). This serves as justification for the infrequency with which he interacts with the media of the mortal world, despite Persephone’s previous attempts to formally interview him. He views words as a tool used more to inflict harm than to help others. His commitment to actions, therefore, shows his commitment to the truth, because he views actions as undeniable evidence of a person’s true devotions, while words are often deceptive or insincere. In this way, Hades represents the futility that is felt when there is no one clear culprit in spreading falsehoods, as well as the importance of finding ways to fight against untruths in whatever way is possible.
Persephone falls into the traps of the rumor mill after she steps into the limelight as a writer, drawing additional attention when she and Hades are seen dancing together. She is frequently cornered by classmates and near-strangers who want details about her relationship with him. However, both the complicated scenario she is in and her unwillingness to spread information about Hades beyond what is necessary for her job restrict her ability to tell the truth. Revealing the true reason for her closeness with Hades—their contract—would also expose her to further speculation and cast doubt on her reporting. Persephone’s journey shows how easy it is to become caught in rumors and how difficult it can be to express the truth.
The willingness to accept falsehoods to support a chosen narrative is one of the dangerous facets of rumors explored in the novel. Demeter, for example, raises Persephone with the belief that gods marry for power, and mortals are not worthy of divine attention. Persephone, thus, goes through her early adult life anticipating actions and choices from her fellow divine beings that support that rumor, making her less trusting of Hades’s affections and his efforts to change for her. Similarly, society is content to think of Hades as cruel and the rest of the divinities as simply lustful, minimizing their other characteristics to make them fit a neater story line. Hades and Persephone both show that initial beliefs about others are not always true, highlighting the need to challenge one’s own mental associations and presumptions and pursue a deeper understanding of the truth.
The Power of Everyday Heroism
One of Persephone’s defining characteristics is that she is a goddess without power. She kills plants she encounters and is unable to control their withering; she cannot grow anything and cannot charm mortals. She relies on her mother’s power to disguise her true form, just as she later depends on Hades to allow her to enter the Underworld. Despite these limitations, Persephone establishes herself as someone who is worthy of trust and respect. She pursues truth, addresses wrongdoings, and treat all people with fairness. Persephone embodies the Power of Everyday Heroism, showing the importance of common goodness and strength even in the face of immortal power. She highlights the importance of contemplating one’s own actions and considering one’s ability to change the world, even within limited circumstances.
Persephone’s first act of heroism is her conscious choice to write about Hades even after being warned against it by her peers at New Athens News. She believes that Hades is wronging mortals, so she sets out to shame him and warn others away from his tempting offers. She does so with the knowledge that this may make her a target and provoke his wrath, pursuing her story because she believes that it will make the world a better place. She puts herself in social and emotional danger to help mortals. Her choice to do so showcases the importance of identifying and verbalizing conflicts, especially when they manifest as power inequalities.
Persephone’s interactions with the Asphodel souls further showcase her devotion to the mortal experience. She treats the souls with respect and support, speaking with the adults and playing with the children. She does not treat them as any lesser or as the other simply because they are dead or mortal. Instead, she supports their endeavors and uses her sway to help them. This is evident in the Ascension Ball: She convinces Hades not only to host the ball but also to attend it, helping bridge the gap between him and his subjects. This support, in turn, earns her the title of queen, which is both a reward and an obligation. She becomes the mistress of the Underworld through her own merits, not by divine right or magical power.
Persephone also becomes her own hero by performing an emotionally strenuous task that requires no magic but demands a significant amount of bravery. When she stands up to Demeter, she represents the heroism required to confront loved ones and ask for wrongs to be righted. She pursues an apology and acknowledgement so that she can grow both as a person and as a daughter, showing a willingness to put aside the ways she was hurt in exchange for a brighter future. This version of heroism goes unrewarded as Demeter rejects her, refusing to be brave enough to see the error of her ways. Persephone is, thus, forced to cut her mother off until she is ready to address the problems in their relationship, showing strength and perseverance.
These examples of heroism are structured in contrast with those of the traditional Greek heroes who inspired them. In the original mythos, heroes are usually male and must overcome death-defying obstacles to show themselves worthy of divine favor. Persephone, however, contradicts this pattern through her femininity and her devotion to the average mortal, rather than simply to her own benefit or to other immortals. She demonstrates a form of heroism that is relatable in a contemporary context and broadens the scope of what may be considered brave. Rather than completing tasks based on physical strength, she redefines heroic behaviors as those that focus on ethical relationships and the improvement of others’ station in life.
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