51 pages • 1-hour read
Hexed
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Symbols & Motifs
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence, child abuse, addiction, and death.
Poison
As Venesa’s weapon of choice, poison is a central motif. It serves in part as a nod to the novel’s inspiration; Ursula, the character Venesa draws most heavily on, dabbles in potions and keeps two pet eels, here transformed into the stonefish from which Venesa sources much of her poison. It also provides the mechanism for another allusion to The Little Mermaid when Venesa uses a toxin to paralyze Aria’s vocal chords.
However, poison is not simply a way for the novel to explore The Unrealistic Nature of Fairy Tales. Rather, its prevalence underscores The Effects of Toxic Family Legacies. The word “toxic” itself occurs repeatedly in connection with both the characters and their environments; for instance, Venesa describes Aria as “a byproduct of toxicity” (489), and Enzo describes watching Venesa torture a man as “intimate in a toxic type of way” (143). The motif of poison thus provides a metaphor for understanding how abuse, neglect, addiction, etc., can shape character, insinuating themselves into a person’s psyche in ways that may not be perceptible initially but become deadly over time.
Trident Painting
Venesa is fixated on her uncle’s trident painting, which appears at multiple points in the story and symbolizes her connection to her mother, as well as the Kingston legacy broadly. The painting is a hotly contested possession not because of its value but because of what it represents to members of the Kingston clan: The legend that the Kingstons are descendants of the rulers of Atlantis means that whoever holds the painting is the head of the family. When Venesa’s grandfather bestowed it on his daughter, Venesa’s mother, it was a sign that he trusted her more than any other member of the family. Trent not only steals the painting from his dead sister but also refuses to give it to Venesa. Instead, he bestows it on Aria. She adds insult to injury in her acceptance speech, saying, “I know there are many people who claim to be ‘family’ who have had their eye on something so precious. But they don’t deserve it. It’s tradition, after all” (294). Aria’s venomous rejection of Venesa is an echo of her father’s. They want to exclude Venesa from a share in the family legacy.
Although Venesa only wants the picture for sentimental reasons, the documents concealed in the picture frame prove that she is the rightful heir to the family fortune. This literalizes the symbol’s relationship to the Kingston legacy, as the painting itself adjudicates who should inherit the family empire. Its depiction of a trident is also significant, as this is associated with King Triton’s power in The Little Mermaid. However, in keeping with Hexed’s inversion of hero/villain roles, Trent’s possession of the trident is a form of usurpation.
Seashell Necklace
Venesa’s seashell necklace functions as a symbol of true love that speaks to the theme of Love Versus Duty. The necklace first appears when Venesa is recounting a birthday memory from her childhood to Enzo. Motivated by a desire to create a positive birthday memory for the adult Venesa, Enzo offers to buy it, but she declines the gift. The gesture indicates Enzo’s growing attraction toward Venesa, and when she refuses the offer, she explains that such a gift from her cousin’s fiancé would be inappropriate. Venesa’s response is an indication that she still puts duty above love in her personal hierarchy of values.
After her disastrous birthday party aboard the yacht, Venesa receives the necklace as a surprise gift. This time, she accepts and wears it, suggesting that Enzo’s kindness is shifting her priorities. Much later, when Enzo learns of Venesa’s role in his brother’s murder, he rejects her. She leaves the necklace behind in his apartment, using it to signal the break in their relationship and assuming he will bow to his father’s command to kill her. Instead, he overcomes his family conditioning and helps rescue Venesa, restoring her necklace in the process. The presence or absence of the seashell necklace is therefore a touchstone indicating the state of the connection between Enzo and Venesa. This symbolism markedly departs from the object’s counterpart in The Little Mermaid, as Ursula uses her own seashell necklace to trap Ariel’s voice, associating it with her own villainy.
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