Forgotten Fire Freedom and Confinement Quotes

When the gendarmes take Vahan's dad, he starts to think about his freedom more seriously. It's always been something he's taken for granted, but now it seems like it's a commodity he might lose before he knows it. Too bad his premonition is right.

We feel for Vahan and his family here when they start to talk about what they've seen. It's already too late—and though they might not realize it at the time, Vahan certainly does later. Whether they like it or not, they no longer have freedom over their lives.

Vahan is held captive in the novel, but he's also figuratively imprisoned in his own mind. He feels trapped with his troubling memories of his family's deaths, and feels guilty about surviving when they didn't—and this is a prison Vahan can't break out of.

Selim Bey says this to Vahan when he asks about Seranoush, and the governor's response is worse than Vahan ever could have imagined. Selim Bey makes it clear to Vahan that he has no control over what happens to Seranoush or anyone else for that matter.

As time passes, we see Vahan grow more skeptical of everyone, and start to treat every situation as a threatening one. He says here that he's not safe—that's because he's still a prisoner in Turkey since he's an Armenian.

Metaphor alert: Vahan considers his life as an outsider as part of his suffering, and gives us a great metaphor for understanding it here. He's been locked out of where he wants to be, but hopefully he can finally become free, or—to put it in his words—go inside.

Seta and Vahan become fast friends, perhaps because they are both trapped: Seta with the consul, and Vahan was with Selim. The pair bond over their imprisonment, and we can't help but wonder if this shared experience is good for Vahan to share with Seta, and vice versa.

On the boat to Constantinople, Vahan notices that he's in a new place with its own rules and system. What's important here is the fact that—even on his way to the dreamy Constantinople—he's trapped on the boat. He's not sure whether he's on his way to freedom or death, but he's willing to risk it.

Vahan imagines what his life will be like once he gets to Constantinople, and it's all gravy. He pictures streets of gold and free cookies everywhere. Okay, so he doesn't go that far, but he does think the new place will give him amazing opportunities and freedom that he hasn't had since his dad was taken.

Let freedom ring, Shmoopsters. We celebrate with Vahan when he finally reaches Constantinople—he's finally free. Yet we can't help but notice that pesky word "seemed" in there, as though it's not quite real. Is Vahan free in Constantinople?