Survival
Following the events of The Girl Who Played with Fire, Lisbeth Salander is fighting for her life as she is recovering in the hospital. Thus, the majority of the narrative finds her incapacitated due to the gunshot injuries she suffered at the hands of his father Zalachenko. For the first time, she cannot be up and about to prove her innocence of the triple murder charges hence has to rely on others particularly Mikael. She is in recovery and all she can do for now is try and survive from her wounds, against her enemies from the “Section” who are trying to murder her, and the false murder accusations. In order to stand up for herself again and seek revenge against the corrupt government, she has to first survive when she is still down. Therefore the story is essentially Salander against the world at her most vulnerable point in her quest for justice.
Justice
The pursuit of justice is the core of the narrative, while Salander is fighting for both her life and freedom; Mikael is also working towards proving her innocence. Mikael aware of the fact that the “Section” group framed Lisbeth of the murder charges, he aims to expose their operations. The group being a division within the Swedish Security Service, the task is not an easy one and requires undercover work on his part. Hence, seeking justice for Lisbeth and proving she is not responsible for the triple murder in Stockholm but rather the crimes of the Section’s officials. Moreover, revealing the incompetency of the judicial system in protecting the innocent while holding the guilty culpable. Justice has been a significant part of the trilogy thus the culmination of Salander’s chronicles definitely entails a grand achievement in exposing the corrupt criminals and government.
Female Empowerment
Larsson’s trilogy has always been about the empowering of women and baring female oppression and gender inequality in our society. Thus, the recurring motif in the story is the societal cycle of pigeonholing women into certain gender norms. Furthermore, through the female characters, Larsson shows the harassment that women face for standing for their dignity especially in the workplace. Through Salander, Larsson fosters the notion women can attain as much as and even surpass their male counterparts while fighting for gender equality. Lisbeth’s pursuit of justice for women stems from her trauma that involves torture, rape, and verbal abuse. Her determination in surviving the ordeals she has suffered all her life including the recent gunshot attack and false accusations are a portrayal of the female empowerment.
