Questions of fear and how one reacts to it are at the heart of the novel. Poppy’s primary arc in the narrative centers her struggle to overcome fear and find her courage. Through the juxtaposition between protagonist and antagonist, the novel examines how fear is an integral part of forming both tyrants and heroes—it is one’s reactions to it that determine one’s role as either the former or the latter. 

The novel opens with a stark depiction of fear on both sides: Mr. Ocax, the inflictor, and Poppy, the victim. During the course of the novel, however, these roles invert themselves, as Mr. Ocax’s fears are revealed and Poppy learns to move through fear to see past Mr. Ocax’s lies. Fear becomes the central motif through which this theme is conveyed, with each character’s experiences and confrontations with fear informing their roles and personal development in the story, making up the development of this theme in turn. 

The theme of tyranny and heroism is established from Chapters 1 and 2, when Avi offers

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