Corrupt

Content Warning: This section contains references to attempted sexual assault.

Rika’s dagger is a recurring motif that represents the theme of Overcoming Fear and Victimhood to Find Empowerment. The guys gift Rika the dagger in an attempt to intimidate her:

The dagger had a black grip with a bronze cross guard, and I tightened my hand around it, holding up the blade and looking at the lines and carvings…Peering back into the box, I pulled out a small piece of paper with black writing. Licking my lips, I read the words silently. Beware the fury of a patient man (13-14). 

Initially, Rika is entranced with the dagger because she loves to fence, and the sport—and its equipment—makes her feel close to her late father, who died in a car accident when she was 13. However, the note that accompanies the dagger emphasizes that someone views her as prey and intends to victimize her. Interestingly, the note describes the fury of a single man, not men. This implies that the patient man is not the group of guys, but instead Michael. Michael’s fury is more toward the people who victimize Rika than Rika herself, which allows her to eventually find empowerment while in a relationship with him.