Rose in Chains

Lakes serve as a symbol of self-control and power throughout Rose in Chains. The first significant lake in the narrative is the lake beside the tree that Briony and Toven fight over. Both Briony and Toven claim the tree as their own. When Toven asks Briony why the tree means so much to her, she replies that “beating [him] means that much to [her]” (124). The tree next to the lake is important to Briony because she enjoys reading beneath its shade, but what is more important is feeling like she has power over Toven.

As Briony begins to learn mind barriers, one of the meditation techniques requires practitioners to “meditate on a cool blue lake with still waters, stretching out past the horizon. There are depths below, but a still and tranquil surface” (186). Mind magicians capable of making mind barriers have the control over themselves and their minds to suppress their own memories, submerging them beneath the surface of the symbolic lake of their consciousnesses. Briony struggles with meditation at first, demonstrating her lack of control over her current situation. She cannot make her own decisions about her circumstances or life, so she cannot fully picture the lake.

However, by the end of Part 2, Briony begins to regain her own power. Briony stands up to Toven when he attempts to have Larissa attend Biltmore as Briony, making a decision about her body and herself. When Briony goes to Biltmore after standing up for herself, she thinks, “The wolves howled, the guards smacked their lips, and the crowd of Bomardi in the courtyard whistled. She ignored them all, hardly registering their jeers as she focused on a lake with still waters” (317). Briony fixates on the lake and keeps the horrors of Biltmore at bay, maintaining control over her reactions to the traumatic experiences around her, which demonstrates her growing power over herself and her life.