Hope

Without hope, Byx would never have changed, as her grief would have been impossible to overcome.

It is first important to note where hope is shown throughout the novel. The first example is Tobble who frequently tries to convince Byx that she does have a future even though she lost her family. When Byx says she has no use living as the last dairne, Tobble says, “It seems to me… that when you’re the last of anything, you’re especially important to the world” (149). When Byx says, “I wish I could have saved them… But I can’t even save myself” (105), Tobble tells her, “We’ll save each other” (105). Tobble is a frequent source of hope. His encouragement and friendship helps Byx overcome her grief and find a purpose in her journey.

Byx’s map also provides continuous hope each time she opens it. The...