Content Warning: The source material for this study guide includes depictions of domestic violence, child abuse, and the death of a child. It also describes instances of parents attempting to kill their children and references death by suicide and racist attitudes.

In Chapter 5, young Apollo comes up with a personal mantra—“I am the god, Apollo” (19)—to overcome his fear of being judged and excluded, especially out of snobbishness or racism. The mantra becomes a recurring motif throughout the novel, giving Apollo the courage to face overwhelming situations with grace and resolve. Apollo repeats it to himself when he tries to convince Emma not to leave for Brazil; he thinks it when he makes the daring move of cutting the red string around Emma’s wrist. Apollo also regularly repeats this mantra when meeting homeowners at estate sales or while trying to make deals to resell books.

This motif is significant because it functions as a story Apollo tells himself to change his mindset about the world. Knowing that he has been named after a deity of Greek mythology, he self-identifies as that god in an attempt to embody his noble characteristics. Apollo’s habit of repeating this mantra to himself foreshadows the importance of the stories people tell themselves to survive difficult or challenging moments in their lives, such as the story Apollo tells himself about his father’s return to their apartment, as well as the story he tells himself about defeating the troll to save his son.