56 pages • 1 hour read
Bethany C. MorrowA Song Below Water
Fiction | Novel | YA | 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.
Themes
Identity, Racism, and Social Justice
Identity, racism, and social justice are intertwined in both Tavia and Effie’s fights for societal changes. Early on, Tavia expresses that she must stay hidden as a siren and despises her identity—to the point of trying to “strangle” her siren voice as an 11-year-old. Because society views sirens as manipulative, untrustworthy villains, Tavia feels she cannot reveal her identity (until she feels safe and strong enough to be herself and fight for siren rights). Her identity is defined by society and her father, who insists on hiding her out of fear. Tavia doesn’t use her siren powers for any negative reasons, though people think sirens use their songs to give them an unfair advantage. By Awakening Effie and rescuing her accidental victims (the stoned children in Triton Park), Tavia shows the world that the label of siren isn’t negative or dangerous; instead, she learns to value her identity and embrace her sirenness, like YouTuber Camilla Fox and Gramma.
Racism is a prominent theme connected to many characters’ identities, with unjust prejudices prompting them to act, react, or fail to act. Tavia’s family, Effie, Mama Theo, Naema, Priam, Wallace, Camilla, and Rhoda Taylor among others are Black characters. They each experience racism in different ways, though Tavia experiences double prejudice being a Black girl and a siren. In fact, sirens can only be Black women. The scene in which Tavia is pulled over by cops for no reason is a striking example of racism: “I’m…terrified right now because I’ve been pulled over and my ex-boyfriend’s dad doesn’t seem to recognize me and no one’s asked for my license or the car’s registration” (80). When Tavia tells Effie what happened, they both agree she did nothing wrong, but since she was “driving while Black,” the cops assumed she was a criminal (89). Even in their mostly liberal city of Portland, the Black community faces injustice frequently. Even in school, Effie endures a civil liberties discussion about “siren speak,” feeling uncomfortable and silenced. There are countless other examples of racism in the novel, such as Rhoda’s murder, Tavia and Effie’s white friends asking for their thoughts about protesting with destruction, and a white girl trying to touch Effie’s hair.
Furthermore, social justice is ignited by major acts of racism and prejudice, causing Tavia, Effie, and many others to revolt. Most notably, Rhoda Taylor’s murder as a Black woman and her unfair trial in which her murderer was found not guilty (since he blamed her Compel) sparks a movement for social justice. The racism and prejudice surrounding Rhoda’s fate pushes people like Camilla to raise their voices for positive change, advocating for equal rights for Black people and creatures of mythos, particularly sirens. Tavia gains courage, acceptance, and inspiration from a peaceful protest involving her idol Camilla: “I wanna be here when we are loud and powerful and locked in harmony. All the things I’ve ever wanted to say, I want to say now, even though there’s very real opposition. [...] it feels like therapy, not chaos” (163). The protest allows Tavia to proudly claim her own voice by making her feel comfortable doing so. Before the protest, sirens like Tavia and Camilla were upset by everyday injustice but did not act, choosing to stay silent—but after Rhoda’s murder, they choose to voice where they stand alongside allies. This fight for social justice continues with Tavia advocating for change on her YouTube channel.
Hiding in Silence Versus Speaking Truth to Power
The theme of hiding and staying silent is contrasted with owning one’s power and speaking up throughout the novel. Tavia, as a siren, remains in hiding, fearing that others will misjudge and mistreat her if she’s discovered. Her father, Rodney, is so afraid of his daughter’s identity that he never lets her meet Gramma, his mother and the siren who passed on her genes to Tavia. Rodney cuts off contact with his own mother just because she’s a siren, not letting Tavia meet her before she dies. His fear causes him to treat Tavia as an “other,” rather than showing her love and affection as a parent should. Due to society’s prejudice, her family’s fear, and the shame she feels for being a siren, Tavia suppresses her identity and siren songs, using ASL (American Sign Language) as communication when her voice is on fire from repressing her songs. She “wants a normal voice” and as a child, even tried to “strangle” it out of herself (42). Confidants in Tavia’s network, like Naema and her gospel choir, are entrusted to keep her siren secret. Most characters agree that sirens should stay in hiding, and Tavia struggles with this idea throughout her life, never willing to use a song until she can’t control it any longer. When she uses Compel on a cop, she still feels extreme fear and remorse, even when she only does so to combat racism.
Beyond Tavia, the theme of silence applies to Effie’s class discussion on civil liberties: “A quiet kid named Corey bravely raised his hand [...] Before Corey could seal the moment of triumph for her, Kyle yelled in his place, ‘The right to remain silent!’” (56). This discussion of silence turns into a biased, uncomfortable lesson on siren speak. Effie’s teacher frames sirens’ voices as dangerous, but then ironically tells the class to own their voices. Effie feels mortified for Tavia’s sake, but stays silent due to feeling unequipped to argue.
Similar to Tavia, Camilla Fox has been in hiding for most of her life, but eventually speaks up after Rhoda Taylor’s murder trial: “I knew something would be the breaking point. I knew someday I would have to stand up, even if I was scared” (110). Camilla uses her siren voice to create positive change through her YouTube channel and impactful speech about Black rights at a protest. Through Camilla’s courage and Gramma’s lessons on how to use siren songs for the greater good, Tavia learns to trust her identity and stop denying who she is. Pushed to her breaking point by prejudice and encouraged by role models like Camilla, Tavia ultimately becomes braver. She stands up to Naema, a cruel girl and lukewarm ally, for denying her request for protection. Instead of being timid like her father taught her, Tavia actively uses her voice, proudly harnessing it to Awaken Effie’s true form, Compel Effie to stone Naema, and save the stoned children in Triton Park.
The Bonds of Sisterhood
Though not blood sisters, Tavia and Effie identify as sisters, their bond an unbreakable tether that carries them through the story’s many conflicts. Since Effie came to live with Tavia’s family three years ago, they’ve developed a close bond—sharing a room, clothes, and their deepest thoughts and feelings. They make each other laugh and smile like no one else can, often joking around, complimenting each other, and offering support, such as when Tavia handles Effie’s hair and gives her serums to help with her dry skin. Even when they upset each other, such as when Tavia tries to convince Effie that sprites aren’t after her, they make up. They repeat the phrase “I just freakin’ love you” multiple times, proving their love through both words and actions. In terms of actions, Effie acts as Tavia’s interpreter when she uses ASL, and Tavia uses Awaken to help Effie come into her identity as a proud gorgon. The two especially understand each other as Black girls, who know the dangers and joys of being so in a mostly white city with a prejudice against sirens.
With a structure that alternates between Tavia and Effie’s points of view, the novel shows how deeply each girl cares for the other; in Tavia’s chapters, she often thinks about or helps Effie, and vice versa. For instance, when Tavia is upset about siren prejudice but finds Effie with a gift from her crush Elric, she’s uplifted: “Effie didn’t do anything but let me be part of her Elric and Euphemia story for a moment, but it’s just…her. The fact that she’s here. She makes it better” (49). The girls’ caring personalities allow them to share a deep bond of sisterhood, encouraging each other and showing empathy. They make sacrifices for each other, pushing aside their own feelings to help the other. When Effie is crying over the loss of her mother, Tavia’s empathy is clear: “It’s like dominos with us. I can’t see tears in her eyes without getting them in mine” (89). Taking care of each other remains a persistent plot point, reinforcing the theme of sisterhood, as even when the girls are separated by Mama Theo, they refuse to abandon each other. They remain bonded even after Effie chooses to stay with her father; Effie promises Tavia that she will still visit, that they’ll always be sisters.
Mythos: Reality Versus Fantasy
As a work of magical realism and contemporary/urban fantasy, the novel’s setting is modern-day Portland with mythological creatures. Mythos is an essential component of the story, as the mundane world accepts and verifies that these creatures exist. To immerse readers in her world, Tavia admits she’s a siren in Chapter 1:
The story goes that sirens originated by the water, that once we used our calls to damn seamen, and that when we die, our voices return to the sea. If the mythos is to be believed—and as far as any nonmagic people are concerned, most of it isn’t—I should be able to hear my grandmother here [in water] (6).
As Tavia points out, myths can’t always be believed, though the world is full of fantastical creatures, such as sirens and gorgons. Though some beings are more common than others—such as the prominent elokos compared to the extremely rare gorgons—no one can deny they’re part of society. Each mythological creature has different powers and lore, and as such, some are praised and accepted (elokos), while others are feared and discriminated against (sirens). Two of the novel’s central conflicts—fighting against siren discrimination and figuring out Effie’s identity—rely on mythos. Without the mistaken myths about sirens as villains, Tavia wouldn’t have to suppress her voice or hide her identity in fear for her life. Effie likely would have figured out she was a gorgon earlier, not a mermaid, if the related myths were more accurate.
Mythos blurs the line between reality and fantasy. For instance, Tavia points out that some myths are detrimental, such as sirens being viewed as manipulative, and that it’s difficult to parse the truth: “The problem with mythos is that it varies too much for any one interpretation to be believed. Do sirens’ voices return to the body of water near where they were born, or close to where they died?” (6). Some mythos, like that for elokos, puts them on a pedestal. They’re known for their effervescent charm, a positive pull that makes others love them and listen to their beautiful melodies. Other mythos, like that of gargoyles and sprites, doesn’t provide much information, allowing people to speculate their history and qualities. In a world of myths, Effie becomes consumed by the idea that she is a real mermaid, rather than an actor in the Renaissance Faire, and that co-star Elric loves her. However, while Rick can tell the difference between Renaissance Faire life and everyday life, Effie becomes enamored with him and believes they share a deeper connection. This confusion of fantasy as reality works well in the novel due to its underlying foundation of mythos, of questioning what is based on fact and what is pure fantasy.
