The Tail of Emily Windsnap

Shona’s history class offers a few story details about the merfolk world. First, while Shona previously discussed classes like hair brushing and diving, these merfolk-specific disciplines are not the only classes merchildren are taught. Like human children, merfolk learn their history, showing yet another similarity between the two worlds. The contents of the history class also highlight The Relationship Between Identity and Power. The old tales of sirens and evil humans are a staple of merfolk history and culture thanks to Neptune’s absolute rule. Without outside influences or different perspectives, no new information has been disseminated to counter these outdated ideas, which is why Emily’s family has been separated for so long.

The history class is also the first time Emily realizes there may be no perfect place for her. Until she discovered her mermaid nature, Emily felt out of place among humans. Becoming a mermaid satisfied her need for belonging but listening to the teacher condemn the existence of half-merfolk makes Emily feel as though there’s nowhere for her to belong. By teaching intolerance and that certain people are fundamentally wrong, merfolk society remains trapped in the past.

The discovery that her parents broke merfolk law and were punished gives Emily hope. Though convincing her mom of the truth and finding her dad in the merfolk prison feel like insurmountable challenges, Emily is driven to try because she wants to know the truth and meet her dad. Mr. Beeston’s lies in Chapter 7 sow doubt in Emily, which then highlights the importance of her friendship with Shona. Though Emily doesn’t know what to believe based on Mr. Beeston’s stories of her dad, Shona insists they investigate because it is an adventure they can have together as friends. Mr. Beeston’s willingness to lie to keep the merfolk and human worlds apart shows how deeply engrained his merfolk beliefs are. Though he is a half-merman himself—the very thing merfolk culture condemns—he still chooses to side with the merfolk because they give him a place to belong, showing that he will do anything to fit in.

The inclusion of Emily’s swim class in Chapter 8 is a reminder that, despite her newfound desire to live among the merfolk, Emily is a child of two worlds. At this point, Emily feels a stronger tug toward merfolk society because of bullies like the one who pushes her into the pool. Emily also fears the bully saw her tail and that this will result in Emily being shunned and trapped by human society. Emily’s fears here offer some justification for Neptune’s rules and for the way merfolk have lived for so long. Though Emily has only known of her mermaid nature for a short time, she has an innate fear of what humans will do to her if they realize what she is. However, while Neptune refuses to see humans as anything but harmful, Emily sees both the good and bad in humans and merfolk. In addition, despite the human bullies, Emily is determined to be who she is, showing the importance of Having Pride in One’s Identity even when others make her feel like she shouldn’t.