Clockwork Angel

“Nate had exclaimed in surprise that [the clockwork angel] was still working after so many years, and he had looked in vain for a knob or screw, or some other method by which the angel might be wound. But there had been nothing to find. With a shrug he’d given the angel to Tessa.”

Nate finds the clockwork angel while sifting through his and Tessa’s mother’s things and disregards the angel when he cannot understand its function. This shows that Nate does not care as deeply as Tessa does for his family, and foreshadows how Tessa will be connected to the Shadow World in a way Nate is not. The fact that the clockwork angel still functions after so many years also hints at its magical properties.

“The other woman was short and plump, with small eyes sunk deep into her head; the bright pink gloves stretched over her large hands made them look like colorful paws.”

The simile “like colorful paws” both describes Mrs. Black and alludes to her warlock nature by comparing her to a non-human creature. The diction the author chooses—“stretched” and “sunk deep”—suggests mystery and deception, foreshadowing how Mrs. Black is hiding her identity from Tessa.

“She looked pinched and bedraggled and altogether like a frightened scarecrow.”

The author uses the simile “like a frightened scarecrow” to describe Tessa’s run-down appearance after her six-week imprisonment and to highlight how Tessa feels less human after her time with the Dark Sisters. “Scarecrow” is also a reference to The Wizard of Oz, in which a protagonist finds herself in a strange place antagonized by two sisters.

“‘You must come—you m-must—you—you—you—yyyyyyyyy—’ Miranda’s voice shuddered and broke, degenerating into a stream of gibberish.”

The author reflects Miranda’s broken speech in the text to create a sonic image. The words “broke” and “degenerating” hint at the fact that Miranda is a clockwork machine, rather than a real person.

“Mrs. Dark spat. ‘Mundanes. You care no more about them than we do.’”

Mrs. Dark’s accusation that Shadowhunters do not care about mundanes introduces the prejudice Shadowhunters carry against Downworlders and mundanes. This prejudice is personified in Benedict Lightwood later in the novel. This passage also foreshadows Will’s antagonism toward Downworlders.

“What if one of the times I Changed, when I turned back into myself, I didn’t do it quite right? What if this isn’t even my true face?”

Tessa struggles to accept her identity as a shape-shifter and the power she has because of her heritage. Tessa’s concern about her physical features reflects her concern about her internal character, whether she is a monster or human.

“‘Pulvis et umbra sumus. It’s a line from Horace. “We are dust and shadows.” Appropriate, don’t you think?’ Will said. ‘It’s not a long life, killing demons; one tends to die young, and then they burn your body […] nary a mark on the page of a mundane book to remind the world that we once existed at all.’”

The author uses Will’s allusion to Horace to demonstrate how both he and Tessa value literature. The quote encompasses Will’s worldview before meeting Tessa, that life is short and violent. Will’s feelings for Tessa will force him to challenge his perspective and decide whether it is worth striving to live a long, loving life.

“‘London isn’t horrible,’ Jem said equably. ‘You simply have to get to know it. You must come with me out into London someday. I can show you the parts of it that are beautiful—that I love.’”

Jem’s remarks about London represent how Jem will show Tessa the positive aspects of being a member of the supernatural world. Until now, Tessa has only seen how her powers and other supernatural beings hurt people. Jem represents the good that can come from her acceptance of this world.

“Henry is the one who made me that parasol. Did you know that? I thought it was quite pretty until he told me that the fabric is edged with electrum, as sharp as a razor. It was always meant to be a weapon.”

Jessamine’s parasol symbolizes her ambivalence about her role as a Shadowhunter. She wants to be pretty and dainty, but because of who she is, her pretty, dainty things must also be weapons. The parasol also represents Tessa, who was created by Mortmain to serve his ends, rather than to exist for herself.

“If de Quincey has some fascination with watch parts, I know nothing of it. In fact, when you first contacted me about de Quincey, I had no intention of coming forward with any information at all.”

Camille Belcourt, a powerful vampire familiar with de Quincey, had not heard of his connection to the Pandemonium Club or the clockwork parts that the Shadowhunters discovered at the Sisters’ house. This foreshadows the Shadowhunters’ mistake in determining that de Quincey is The Magister, leading to the final battle at the Institute where Mortmain reveals himself.

“This is your true self, Tessa. This power is who you are. Whoever loves you now—and, you must also love yourself—will love the truth of you.”

Charlotte’s quote summarizes Tessa’s internal journey throughout the story. Tessa begins the novel not knowing who she is, then fears the truths about her identity that she discovers, before finally moving toward self-acceptance. Similarly, Tessa starts the novel pursuing a relationship with her brother, who only wants to use her for her power, and ends the novel living at the Institute with the Shadowhunters who love and protect her.

“Will drew his gaze away from the window and looked at her as if some realization had dawned on him. ‘Tess,’ he said, and Tessa felt a momentary jolt; no one had ever called her Tess.”

The author uses sensory language—“jolt”—to show the growing attraction between Will and Tessa. By using a distinct nickname for Tessa, Will establishes a special relationship between the two of them. Only Nate ever used a pet name with Tessa; Will creating his own nickname for Tessa shows how their relationship is deepening.

“Tessa screamed. Not a human scream but a vampire scream. She barely recognized the sound that came from her own throat—it sounded like shattering glass.”

This quote demonstrates the developing motif of human versus monster. In the form of Camille, Tessa sounds like a vampire, but she is feeling the emotions of a human, seeing her brother beaten. The quote also uses a simile, “like shattering glass,” to create a sonic image describing Tessa’s scream.

“‘You think she is pretty?’ Will was surprised; Jem rarely opined on this sort of thing.

‘Yes, and you do too.’

‘I hadn’t noticed, really.’

‘Yes, you have, and I’ve noticed you noticing,’ Jem was smiling.”

This quote solidifies the love triangle among Will, Jem, and Tessa that will be at the center of the trilogy. Jem’s willingness to admit to his attraction to Tessa, and Will’s attempt to hide his own, is indicative of their two different approaches. Jem is honest about his feelings, whereas Will chooses to suppress them.

“Water soaked the collar and front of his white shirt, turning it transparent. The way it clung to him, showing the lines of him underneath—the ridges of hard muscle, the sharp line of collarbone, the Marks burning through like black fire—it made Tessa think of the way one might lay thin paper down over a brass engraving, brushing charcoal over it to bring the shape through.”

The image of Will’s transparent shirt symbolizes the vulnerability Will is beginning to show with Tessa. Tessa’s response demonstrates her physical attraction to Will, but also her desire to see him clearly and to understand him.

“Wasn’t Will the one who was supposed to know exactly what that was, and wasn’t she the one who was supposed to have pushed him away?”

The theme of Women and Power in Victorian England includes society’s expectations of women and men in terms of physical and sexual power. Tessa believes that sexual attraction is a masculine emotion and assumes that she has done something wrong in her attraction to Will. Will, repressing his feelings for Tessa, sends her away. Love as a form of feminine power is explored in the second and third books of the trilogy.

“It was like following a ghost. The next morning, he was ready with some ribald tale of false adventures, and I never demanded the truth. If he wishes to lie to me, then he must have a reason.”

Jem uses a simile to describe how Will wandered aimlessly around London at night when he claimed he was in taverns or brothels. This description of Will suggests that his desire to push people away is more than an emotional wound, but something much deeper. Jem unwillingness to confront Will stems from his trust in him, but also from a fear of confrontation.

“‘Half one thing and half another,’ Tessa said. ‘Like me. But you know you’re human.’

Jem’s expression softened. ‘As are you. In all the ways that matter.’”

This quote shows Tessa wrestling with her humanity, a motif across the novel, and Jem’s conviction that Tessa is worth loving. Jem’s attitude foreshadows his and Tessa’s relationship in Book 2, and Jem’s willingness to speak honestly with Tessa serves as a foil to Will’s deception.

“He was as white as his nightshirt, the lids of his closed eyes dark blue.”

The author uses simile and imagery to demonstrate how withdrawal from the demon poison affects Jem’s body. This description of Jem contrasts with the lively version of him seen in the previous chapter.

“Tessa reassured her brother that she was still the same little sister he’d always known, but her mind was only partly engaged with his question.”

This quote demonstrates the tension between who Tessa used to be—her brother’s doting, obedient sister—and who she has become. Nate wants to still have control over Tessa, to use her for his own gains. He wants her to remain pliable, but she will come to accept her power and outgrow Nate’s vision of her.

“He looked at her curiously. He did something that surprised her then, and took her hand, turning it over. She looked down at it, at her bitten fingernails, the still-healing scratches along the backs of her fingers. He kissed the back of it, just a light touch of his mouth, and his hair—as soft and light as silk—brushed her wrist as he lowered his head.”

Tessa notices the flaws in her appearance—her nails, her scratches—and Jem kisses her hand anyway. This moment represents how Jem loves Tessa, including the parts that she sees as faults. This moment is a foil to Tessa and Will’s first kiss, when Will immediately pushes her away.Tessa notices the flaws in her appearance—her nails, her scratches—and Jem kisses her hand anyway. This moment represents how Jem loves Tessa, including the parts that she sees as faults. This moment is a foil to Tessa and Will’s first kiss, when Will immediately pushes her away.

“With a cry he went to his knees and clasped his hands in front of him, almost as if he were praying.

‘It was only ever my desire,’ he said, ‘to serve you, Magister.’”

This quote reveals that Nate has been working for the Magister from the beginning of the novel, promising Tessa to him in exchange for magical power. The description of Nate in prayer also suggests that he may be under some sort of compulsion or spell, much like the human subjugates, but Brother Enoch did not identify this during Nate’s medical examination.

“‘You killed her,’ Will said. His voice sounded stupid to his own ears, and very far away. He saw again in his mind’s eye the library of the house he had lived in with his family as a child. His own hands on the box, curious fingers unclasping the latch that held it closed. The library filled with the sound of screaming […] I have lost everything.”

When Will believes Tessa died, he flashes back to his last memories at his house before he ran away to the Institute. The author uses this flashback to create a mystery for the reader, as Will’s backstory will become a central component of Book 2. The quote suggests that at least some of his family members were killed because he opened the box.