Freedom vs. Confinement

Characters often struggle against restrictions, such as the Doctor's discomfort with royal ceremony, the fidgit's captivity in an aquarium, and the stowaways' desire to escape their pasts, underscoring a longing for autonomy and open horizons.

The Doctor's zoo allows animals to lock themselves in from the inside, emphasizing voluntary stay over forced captivity, and he passionately argues against caging lions and tigers.

Luke's acquittal represents freedom from the threat of execution, and his reunion with his wife underscores personal liberation.

Ben Butcher is confined to the dining-saloon to prevent him from taking over the ship.

The characters flee the confinement of the hostile crowd and the bullring to regain their freedom at sea.