Daughter of the Deep

Shark House is a symbol of military and tactical sciences as sharks evoke imagery of violence and aggression. As Ana puts it, “Sharks are frontline fighters, tacticians, weapons specialists, commanders” (164). However, while at first glance Shark House might be militaristic, a deeper look at the shark symbolism shows that those in Shark House evoke another characteristic of the animal—its persistence. Sharks famously must continue swimming or risk death. Most sharks are capable of staying still (although some do have to keep moving in order to pump air through their gills), but the popular imagination focuses on their need for constant motion. Similarly, those in Shark House are determined to keep going no matter what, and if they have nothing to do, they are at a loss. Dev demonstrates this at the beginning of the novel when Ana thinks, “always hungry, my brother, and always moving—the perfect Shark captain” (10). Dev is not one to linger; he is always going from place to place (especially in search of food). Persistence and determination are positive qualities inherent to Shark House members. However, that same persistence leads to restlessness when it has nothing to grab hold of.