Roselily’s mind frequently turns to images of bondage, such as ropes and chains, which symbolize not only the history of slavery that she lives with in the South but also her worry that the groom’s adherence to Islam will require subservience of her. The concept of marriage in general (and her marriage specifically) is described using the language of imprisonment. Roselily is reckoning with what her loss of freedom means to her sense of self.

The story alternates between Roselily’s inner thoughts and the marriage ceremony going on around her, with each phrase in a standard Christian ceremony sending Roselily’s thoughts in another direction. The ceremony is rote and does not deviate from the norm. Meanwhile, Roselily challenges the assumptions at the core of the ceremony and her place in the Southern Christian society she was brought up in. The ceremony is rigid, certain of its outcome, and requires submission, which provides a stark contrast to Roselily’s roaming, independent, and doubtful mind.