What are the motifs in When the Emperor Was Divine: A Novel by Julie Otsuka?

Freedom is a recurring idea in the book. The characters in When the Emperor Was Divine long for freedom. Freedom can be an abstract term when one possesses choice and will, but when deprived of the liberty most of us take for granted, freedom takes on a tangible aspect. Many times throughout the novel physical items seen or remembered symbolize the freedom the characters crave.