63 pages • 2 hours read
Alex MichaelidesThe Fury
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Wind
Elliot introduces the “[w]ild, unpredictable Greek wind” early in the story as a motif (1). Wind is often a symbol of change, as Elliot illustrates with his depiction of the wind that “stir[s] up all the sand in the seabed, turning the water murky, dark, and dangerous” (24). In The Fury, the wind doesn’t just symbolize change but is also a harbinger of chaos and bad luck. Agathi illustrates how this representation of the wind is also a part of local lore—she remembers her grandmother calling it “to menos, which means ‘the fury’ in English” (24).
The wind is also directly connected to Lana’s island, Aura, which is named “after the Greek goddess of the ‘morning air’ or the ‘breeze.’ A pretty name, which belied the ferocity of the wind and of the goddess herself” (24). Aura is a minor Greek goddess, and naming the island draws another connection to Greek mythology. It also subverts Aura’s status as a minor deity, as her “breeze” changes into “[w]ild, unpredictable Greek wind. Wind that drives you mad” (1).
As the action on the island escalates, so does the wind. Michaelides uses this parallel to underscore the violence and chaos happening on Aura and to increase tension; at the peak, “the winds appear[]…And the fury beg[ins]” (142). However, there is a more practical reason for the wind as well: The wind and accompanying storm cut Aura off from the other islands, making it impossible for the police to come.
The Ruin
There are only three structures on Aura: the main house, the caretaker’s cottage, and the ruin. Elliot describes the ruin as “[a] semicircle of six broken, weathered marble columns in a clearing, surrounded by olive trees” (22). As Lana and Otto discover when they buy the island, the ruin “once housed an intimate theater, a small auditorium, used for private performances” (22). Although Elliot doubts this, it doesn’t stop him from using the setting for the same purpose. As a motif, the ruin is the setting for much of the action of the story and the setting for Elliot’s plan. With this device, Michaelides references The Inevitable Fall of the Tragic Hero. His plan and subsequent downfall unfold in and around an ancient theater, echoing his love for performance while setting him up to lose at his own game.
However, Elliot also attributes an almost supernatural feel to the ruins: “An atmospheric spot; easy to imbue with magic. A perfect spot for contemplation” (22). He chooses the ruin as the setting for Lana’s staged death because of the atmosphere. By doing do, Elliot continues to explore the lines between story (he quite literally stages his “play” of Lana’s death in the ancient amphitheater) and reality—it makes sense that Elliot, who uses story as a way to understand reality, chooses to set his scene in a place that brings the two together.
Agathi’s Crystal
Agathi’s crystal represents fate, or destiny, a concept that Michaelides probes in his discussion of The Relationship Between Destiny and Character. The crystal is a fortune-telling device, passed to Agathi from her grandmother, who was known locally to be a witch; the crystal “supposedly had magical qualities” (57). The user whispers a question to the crystal, and the way that it swings offers a “yes” or “no” answer. According to those who have used it, the crystal is an accurate predictor, and Kate, in particular, is a believer: “She was convinced it was the genuine article—a Greek oracle” (57). Although none of the rest of them outwardly state their belief in the crystal, everyone takes it seriously. Lana claims that “[s]he [doesn’t] believe in magic; but she [doesn’t] know what to believe in anymore. She dangle[s] the pendant over her palm. She stare[s] at it, her lips moving—as she murmur[s] a silent question” (43). Caught in a moment of doubt, Lana finds herself drawn to the crystal for answers.
The crystal is another way in which Elliot attempts to explain the events on the island. After Kate asks it a question, he wonders, “Was everything that happened at the crystal’s command? Did Kate simply surrender to its decision—wherever it led?” (138). This presents the crystal in a new light, as less a predictor than a force that creates a certain outcome. The idea of the crystal’s powers, coupled with its connection to Agathi, her grandmother, and Greek culture, draws another connection to Greek tragedy and mythology.
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By Alex Michaelides
