50 pages • 1 hour read
Christopher BuehlmanBetween Two Fires
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaSymbols & Motifs
Flies
Content Warning: This source material contains sexual assault and the threat of sexual assault on minors, as well as alcohol addiction and extreme instances of body horror. It also depicts societal anti-gay bias and antisemitism.
Flies symbolize death and destruction. In the context of the plague-era setting of the novel, flies signify the presence of death and rotting corpses. However, flies also indicate the presence of evil, supernatural forces, which are here associated with death. For example, flies often appear before the possession of a human by a demon. Pope Clement remembers that before he died, he heard the buzzing of flies in his room. In particular, flies are associated with Baal-Zebuth, a high-ranking demon in Lucifer’s army often given the title the “lord of the flies.” This connects the symbolism of flies to the manipulation of humanity’s leaders, as these are the people the demons target for possession. Baal-Zebuth’s true form as a demon with a fly’s head reveals that he is the cause of the Black Death and that his death will free humanity from the plague.
Delphine’s Blood
Delphine’s blood is a motif connected to her holiness. Delphine’s blood represents the blood of Christ, which Christian doctrine teaches washes people clean of their sinful nature. Although Delphine’s blood does not seem to have any effect on humanity, it does have cleansing properties because it rids the world of the presence of evil. The characters are initially unaware of the supernatural power in Delphine’s blood, but Thomas eventually realizes that it has helped him defeat every demon that he has encountered; in fact, it is the only thing that combats the power of the demons. Due to this discovery, Delphine covers Thomas’s sword in her blood in the final battle so that he will be able to kill the demons. After Thomas dies, Delphine realizes that a simple coating of her blood will not be enough to defeat the demons. Instead, Delphine sacrifices herself because the act, coupled with the holiness of her blood, will save the world from destruction.
The Eucharist
The Eucharist is a motif that illustrates The Possibility of Redemption. The act of consuming bread and wine that (according to Catholic doctrine) literally become Christ’s body and blood is among the most important Christian rites. Given the work’s highly religious setting, Buehlman’s references to the Eucharist throughout the narrative lend the work realism, but they also explicate the differences between the powers of good and evil. The parody of the Eucharist that Matthieu takes at the doomed castle reveals the influence of demonic powers over humanity. Matthieu blasphemes against God and takes a mock Eucharist because he cannot stand the thought of having his wine taken away from him. In the Middle Ages, blasphemy led to excommunication, yet Matthieu does not receive this punishment because Delphine sees his capacity for goodness. Delphine’s decision to give Matthieu another chance allows him to redeem himself through his sacrificial love in saving Delphine—something Buehlman underscores by using the imagery of the Eucharist later to represent Matthieu’s growth. When the heads with tentacles attack the travelers, Matthieu holds Delphine over his head, like the Eucharist, sacrificing his life to save her. These two moments with the Eucharist mirror each other to show how forgiveness and redemption are available to any person, no matter what they have done.
Spearhead Relic
The spearhead relic is a symbol that represents the importance of faith. Delphine feels drawn to the relic because she understands its significance in the history of Christianity. Despite Thomas’s skepticism, she knows that the relic holds power, which is why the relic seller gives it to her after she saves his life. Delphine’s instinct about the relic proves accurate; it is the only item, besides her blood, that the demons fear, and she wears it around her neck in case a demon attacks her.
As Delphine has flashbacks about her divine life as Jesus, she remembers how the spearhead entered the body of Jesus as he was dying. This affirms the spear’s authenticity (and her own divinity), but it also foreshadows her death. Delphine’s final interaction with the spearhead comes when the demon-knight stabs it in her side as she dies. Although the spearhead helped fight off demons, Delphine realizes that the real reason she needed it was to complete her sacrifice, mirroring Jesus’s. This final moment solidifies her purpose and proves that her faith saved the world.
