Picture 1

The cover art of 'Matched' is quite interesting, and tells a lot of the book. It shows a girl (presumably Cassia) trapped in a bubble, lightly pushing on the sides. She is wearing a green dress (the one she wore to her Matching ceremony); a beautiful dress that is borrowed and must be returned after the ceremony. It is poofy, and over the top; not something she would wear every day. It is almost ironic; making one feel like a princess, when even though her life seems perfect, there are dark truths hidden from them. She is trapped in the bubble of the Society, and will never do anything with her life but lightly push on the sides of her cage. Although the bubble symbolizes Cassia's imprisonment, it isn't a violent imprisonment - it's just that she is living in a bubble, unaware of the dark truths that are hidden all around her.

Green symbolizes nature (where Cassia first met Ky after the Matching and also Cassia/Ky's summer activity; hiking), growth (of her knowledge as the book goes on), hope (for a happy Match and life), youth, money (which is ironic, as there is no money, or anything to trade in the Society) and envy (of a better time, where people were allowed to marry whoever they want). Green is also the colour of the green tablet from the book. This is a tablet that is used to calm and pacify. It seems to convey such a message that no great action will happen in the book; out of all the books in the trilogy, this is the one with the least violence, and most knowledge-attaining. Also, Cassia's pose doesn't show that she is concerned about her imprisonment. She's not panicked; not fighting... yet. The cover art perfectly conveys Cassia's world at the start of Matched: its a false fairy tale. She's calm, unaware of the fact that her princess life is even a little bit problematic.

Source: Condie, Ally. Cover Page. Matched. New York: Dutton, 2010. N. pag. Print.