The subject of love and ownership is a central theme in Orson Scott Card's "Xenocide." The protagonist grapples with the idea of whether true love can exist without the impulse to possess or control another person. This internal conflict raises profound questions about human nature and the potential instinct for territoriality that seems ingrained in us.

As he reflects on these ideas, he wonders if the need to claim and define relationships is so deeply rooted in our genetics that it cannot be easily overcome. This contemplation suggests a struggle between the desire for connection and the primal instincts that may complicate or hinder such bonds.