Angelfall

Wings form a central motif throughout the work, exploring The Politics of Sin. Wings represent an angel’s identity and value; Raffe experiences intense emotion about losing his wings, which surfaces throughout the book, and Beliel and the others recognize that taking Raffe’s wings is the most effective way to ruin him both physically and reputationally. As a motif, wings explore the idea of external vs. internal identity: Most of the angels have wings that reflect their personality, but this is not a given. For example, Raffe’s wings are pure white, symbolizing his reputation for blamelessness among the angels, while Beliel’s wings are demonic and black, symbolizing his status as a fallen angel. The swap at the end between the two, while partially enforcing the elements of body horror in the novel, also emphasizes the ultimate pointlessness of appearances. Despite Beliel’s taunting and his sword’s rejection, Raffe remains the same—yet, at the same time, the loss of his honor since he cannot recover his good name among the angels with demon wings, gives him the freedom to express emotion he was repressing before. Still, the ultimate point remains the same. Raffe has not changed; he has simply let go of maintaining a front of purity for the angels, none of whom even care.