The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses racism and death by suicide.

“She rolled down the window and drew in the scent that her mind had forgotten but her soul had held on to—sun-warmed dirt, blooming blackberry bushes, briny salt water. As she breathed it in, she felt something inside of her shift, like a puzzle piece sliding into its niche.”

Inara’s first experience of returning to the island reveals the beauty and calming influence of the setting. The vivid descriptions of sights, smells, and sensations emphasize the ability of nature to soothe and clarify as an underlying message that recurs with the ocean and other natural scenes throughout the novel.

“She would not confront them. She would not lose her honor and beg for her family’s lives. These weren’t men, but demons. Demons didn’t listen to reason.”

Mei Lien sees the white men who destroy her family as demons, making a stark distinction between human beings who can empathize with those different from them, and “demons” who are only interested in furthering a specific agenda. This passage also highlights the power Mei Lien finds in remaining silent rather than reducing her dignity by attempting to exert physical power. The violent expulsion of her family also begins the novel’s exploration of The Generational Impact of Racism.

“The sun had set, but the island was still cloaked in that blue-black moment before dark that felt in equal parts like a quiet sigh and a pounding heart.”

The dual imagery in this passage reflects the metaphorical link between the Orcas Island setting and the larger plot of the novel. Though the island seems peaceful, “like a quiet sigh,” there is also “a pounding heart” which can represent anxiety, fear, or passion. This passage mirrors Inara’s discoveries, which satisfy her quest for knowledge while revealing the dramatic injustices of the past.