Family and Legacy in Any Way the Wind Blows
Thematic Claim: Belonging Is Forged by Choice, Not Blood
In Any Way the Wind Blows, Rainbow Rowell dismantles the idea that family and legacy are determined solely by biology or inheritance. Through Simon Snow’s journey from orphaned weapon to beloved grandson, the novel argues that true belonging arises from acts of love, acceptance, and deliberate commitment. The Salisbury family’s embrace of Simon—and the parallel stories of Baz Pitch, Penelope Bunce, and Agatha Wellbelove—show that legacies are not static gifts but living choices that can include or exclude depending on the heart behind them. The novel never pretends this is easy; instead it acknowledges the pain of lost blood ties while celebrating the families we build.
Three Plot Movements that Reveal the Theme
1. Simon Discovers the Mage’s Estate and Rejects a Toxic Legacy
Early in the novel (Chapter 2), Simon learns that the Mage—the man who raised him as a weapon—left him his entire estate. Dr. Wellbelove argues that Simon deserves the money because the Mage manipulated him. Yet Simon refuses, insisting he wasn’t manipulated and that he gave away his magic willingly. His rejection is not just about guilt; it is a refusal to be defined by a legacy built on control and violence. Simon cannot accept a inheritance that would bind him to the person who used him. This moment establishes that blood or legal ties do not create a meaningful family. Simon would rather have nothing than be part of the Mage’s corrupt line. The candle spell Lady Ruth uses to track her son, Jamie, later parallels this: a mother’s love brings light, while the Mage’s legacy only casts shadows.
2. The Salisbury Revelation: Biological Family Reclaims Simon
The climax of Simon’s family arc occurs in Chapters 84 and 88. At Lady Salisbury’s home, Simon pulls an Excalibur sword from the table—a sword that only a Salisbury by blood can remove. Lady Ruth immediately embraces him as her grandson, the child of her lost daughter Lucy. Simon’s dragon wings, which had marked him as a freak, now align him with a lineage he never knew. The moment Lucy’s candle sputters out feels like a supernatural confirmation that Simon belongs to this house. Yet Simon’s reaction is not pure joy; he is overwhelmed and doubtful. He asks, “But what if it isn’t true?” Even when biological proof appears, Simon hesitates. The novel does not let the revelation solve everything. Instead, it uses the Salisbury family’s immediate warmth to show that blood alone is not the solution—it is their choice to welcome him that matters.
3. The Epilogue: Agatha Finds a Different Kind of Legacy
The epilogue (Chapter 92) shows Agatha having abandoned magic entirely to live among goats on the Watford grounds. She traded her wand for a walking stick, and she chooses to stay with the goats even though they can manage without her. This is a quiet but powerful statement: legacy can be something you opt into, not something thrust upon you. Agatha rejects the magical world’s expectations—including her own family’s hopes—and crafts a simple, peaceful life. Her legacy is one of mindfulness and care, not power or fame. The goats, a humble symbol, replace the dragons and swords of epic prophecy. This ending underscores that family and legacy are not about grand bloodlines but about the daily decisions to belong to a place, a community, or even a herd.
Character Connections to Family and Legacy
Simon Snow: From Foundling to Son
Simon’s entire identity has been shaped by the absence of family. He grew up in care, then was claimed by the Mage as a tool. The epilogue of the previous book left him stripped of magic, growing wings, and feeling more alien than ever. In Any Way the Wind Blows, the Salisbury revelation gives him a name and a history. But equally important is how Baz and Penelope function as his chosen family. Baz dresses Simon, casts spells to accommodate his wings, and comforts him when he breaks down crying. Penelope tracks down leads and defends him. Simon’s true family is not the Salisbury line alone, but the people who stand by him.
Baz Pitch: Wrestling with the Grimm-Pitch Legacy
Baz’s family background is rich with history: his mother Natasha, a powerful Grimm; his father Malcolm; his aunt Fiona. In Chapter 63, Fiona confesses her guilt over not measuring up to Natasha. She tells Baz, “You had the best mum—you lost the best mum—and I knew that your dad and I would never make up for it.” Yet she has kept Baz’s mother’s tape recorder, preserved through decades, as a tangible legacy. Baz’s family legacy is one of love mixed with loss. He also observes how his father weeps over the new children in Chapter 6, showing that even a second family is a legacy of caring for the living. Baz’s choice to stay with Simon rather than pursue his own family’s expectations mirrors the theme: legacy is what you do now.
Penelope Bunce and Shepard: Blending Worlds
Penelope brings Shepard into her home despite his Normal status and dangerous curse. Chapter 90 shows her parents’ mixed reactions—her father charmed, her mother worried. Yet Penelope persists, and Shepard’s gradual acceptance into the magical world through a handshake symbolizes a new kind of family formed across boundaries. Their uncertain future suggests that legacy can be constructed one choice at a time.
Agatha Wellbelove: A Legacy of Simplicity
Agatha’s arc in the epilogue, living with goats, represents the most radical departure from the legacy narrative. She does not carry on a family name or magical line. Instead, she tends creatures that ask nothing of her except presence. This is a quiet indictment of the epic family legacies that dominate the magical world. Agatha chooses a humble peace over a grand destiny, showing that legacy can be personal and small.
Symbol Connections
The Excalibur Sword
The Excalibur sword functions as a test of bloodline. Only a Salisbury can pull it from the table. Simon’s ability to do so shocks everyone, including himself. This sword is a physical symbol of the legacy that Simon has unknowingly inherited. Yet the novel does not treat the sword as an unqualified good. Simon’s first instinct is to apologize and try to return it. The sword becomes a symbol not of destiny but of a family that claims him despite his doubts.
The Dragon Wings
Simon’s dragon wings initially mark him as monstrous and other. At the Wellbelove dinner, Mrs. Wellbelove is appalled. But when Lady Ruth sees them, she calls them “always welcome.” The wings become a symbol of his uniqueness, accepted by his biological family. Yet they also remain a burden—he cannot hide them, and they hurt. They represent how legacy can be both a gift and a weight.
The Candle Spell
Lady Ruth’s candles are a vigil for her children. The first candle burns for Jamie; the second for Lucy. When Lucy’s candle sputters out, it marks her death (or perhaps her final passing from hope). The candles symbolize maternal love that defies distance and time. They are a private, non-magical ritual that nonetheless carries deep meaning—a legacy of waiting and hoping.
The Goats of Watford
The goats in the epilogue are deceptively simple. They replace the heroic animals of Arthurian legend—no dragons, no horses. Agatha’s goats are stubborn, ordinary, and need her care. They symbolize a legacy of humble service and the choice to belong without fame or power.
Complexity and Contradiction
The novel complicates a simple celebration of family. Simon’s biological family accepts him instantly, but that acceptance cannot undo his years of pain. Lady Ruth’s daughter Lucy fled the Mage and possibly died; the family is marked by tragedy. Also, Simon still feels like a fraud—he is not even a magician anymore. The Salisbury family’s love is genuine, but Simon’s internal struggle shows that belonging cannot be conferred by blood alone; he must choose to let himself belong.
Another contradiction lies in the legacy of the Mage. He left Simon an estate as a form of ownership. Simon rejects it. Yet the Salisbury sword and heritage give him something he didn’t ask for. The novel suggests that legacies can be toxic or healing depending on how they are offered and received. The Mage’s legacy was power and control; the Salisburys’ legacy is love and acceptance. But both are legacies of the same world.
Finally, Agatha’s ending might be read as a rejection of all legacy—she opts out entirely. Yet that is itself a legacy of autonomy. The novel does not prescribe one version of family; instead it shows multiple paths to belonging.
Study Questions and Answers
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How does Simon’s rejection of the Mage’s estate define his understanding of legacy?
Simon refuses to inherit anything from the man who used him, showing that he sees legacy not as a legal transfer but as a moral choice. He would rather have nothing than be tied to a corrupt lineage. -
In what way does the Excalibur sword serve as both proof of bloodline and a test of belonging?
The sword confirms Simon is a Salisbury by blood, but his hesitation to keep it reveals that belonging requires more than biology. Lady Salisbury’s immediate embrace, not the sword, is what truly welcomes him. -
Why does Baz’s family history complicate the idea of legacy as a simple inheritance?
Baz carries the weight of his mother’s death and his aunt’s guilt. The tape recorder from his mother is a legacy of love, but Fiona’s confession shows that family legacy also involves failure and attempts to make amends. -
How does Agatha’s decision to live with goats challenge the novel’s epic family narratives?
Agatha rejects magic, power, and any grand legacy. Her choice privileges peace and routine over prophecy, suggesting that a fulfilling life can be built outside family expectations. -
What role does choice play in forming family in the novel? Consider at least two characters.
Penelope chooses to bring Shepard into her home despite risks, and Simon chooses to accept the Salisburys after initial hesitation. Both demonstrate that family is sustained by active decisions of love and trust, not just blood or law.