The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

In Buddhism, Mara is a demon associated with death, rebirth, and desire. Mara is a challenge to Buddha’s enlightenment, and therefore, overcoming death and desire effectively defeats this demon. The Mara tree is part of this cycle of death, rebirth, and desire. Maali meditates in the tree to hear his name on the wind and find those who are still thinking of or talking about him. While this is a useful tool when Maali is exploring the In Between and trying to figure out the story of his murder, it also holds him back from rebirth because it keeps him tied to the land of the living. The Mara tree symbolizes Maali’s desire to be a part of the living world again. When he no longer needs to visit the Mara tree, Maali is ready to give up his expectations and move on with his spiritual self.

The Nikon camera Maali wears around his neck is a symbol of his courage, his identity, and a clue about his murder. Even in the In Between, Maali takes pictures. It is an impulse for him to use his camera to record the wonderous things going on in the world. The camera is part of his identity.