The Rot is not only a tangible threat against both the mortal and divine realms, but a symbol of corruption. As it spreads, it causes decay and turns land barren: “Unripe apples had fallen from trees that had begun to lose their leaves. The ground below had turned gray, and the grass, along with the roots of the apple trees, had died” (10). In A Shadow in the Ember, the Rot has most affected Lasania’s farmland, and farmers take drastic measures to survive. However, the Rot also “changed the weather, making the summers hotter and drier, and winters colder and more unpredictable” (10). It creates somewhat of a timeline for Sera, and her duty as the Maiden (killer of the Primal of Death) is driven by the need to stop its spread. If she fails, the world will presumedly die.

As for the Rot’s symbolism, while its spread corresponds with Sera’s fated death, its cause is Kolis’s attempts to become the Primal of Life out of selfishness. This upsets the natural balance of the world, showing the corrupting influence of unchecked ambition and willingness to sacrifice ethics for personal gain.