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Book 4, Chapter 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Dawn, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humanity, Evolution, and Genetics
Motherhood and Leadership
Consent and Autonomy
Sexuality and Gender
Summary
Analysis
The next morning, Lilith and Joseph arrive first to the waiting point, but Tate and Gabriel aren’t there yet. Eventually, they arrive with Leah, Wray, and Allison as well. The group heads upriver, away from the main camp. Lilith realizes she’ll miss Nikanj and its touch, including its ability to heal her insect bites. Once, when Lilith leaves to urinate, she finds everyone staring at her when she comes back. She confronts them, asking if they expect her to go back to the Oankali.
While Lilith ultimately chooses to go with her fellow humans, she remains conflicted about her choice and particularly her decision to leave Nikanj, who offers not just sexual pleasure but also protection from dangers like insect bites. As Lilith realizes after temporarily stepping away from the group, her closeness with the Oankali have made her a target of suspicion among even the humans she trusts most.
Themes
Gabriel admits that everyone else is wary of Lilith because they’re not sure how different she is compared to other humans. Joseph, however, argues that the fact that Lilith joined them should be proof enough of her loyalty. Lilith accuses Gabriel of only inviting her along because he thought she’d be useful. Lilith then tells them all that she suspects no one will try to chase or follow them and that perhaps leaving the camp is even the final test of their training. Allison realizes that, unlike the others, Lilith still believes they’re on a ship. Lilith admits this but says that she came because Joseph wanted her to and because she wanted to explore.
Although this passage depicts conflict between the humans, it also shows how they are able to work toward a common goal, even though they have different beliefs. Lilith continues to question how much autonomy she and the other humans have—whether they are truly running away or whether this is still all part of an elaborate test that the Oankali are observing from afar. This paranoia hints at cracks forming in Lilith’s relationship with the Oankali, in spite of her closeness to Nikanj.
Themes
