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Book 1, Chapter 13
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Son, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Pain and Maternal Love
Travel, Fitting In, and Values
Emotion, Individuality, and the Human Experience
Family and Coming of Age
Community and Sacrifice
Summary
Analysis
It’s been a year since Abe was born, and on this day, Claire teaches him to say her name. The man is impressed and says Abe is bright—but he still won’t sleep, and he’s not sure what will happen to the boy if he won’t sleep by the next Ceremony. They can’t give a newchild who doesn’t sleep to parents, since the parents wouldn’t be able to work. Claire almost suggests that perhaps she could take him, but unmatched people don’t get children and she knows she doesn’t know enough to care for him. Tearing up, she waves goodbye to little Abe. She knows that nobody else feels “passionate[ly] attach[ed]” to other humans, and she knows these feelings aren’t okay. But she also doesn’t know how to make them stop.
As the Nurturer and Claire discuss Abe’s continued difficulties sleeping, it becomes clear that this community prioritizes productivity over care for individual community members. Right now, Abe needs extra attention during the night—but as normal as readers might find that, in this society, that’s a real problem. Similarly, Claire feels so attached to her son and understands that it’s partially this attachment that’s making her so unhappy. Having grown up “content” and without any other emotions (and as seemingly the only person who feels this way), Claire doesn’t know how to handle this one.
Themes
Occasionally, Claire sees Jonas around. While he seemed carefree the first time she saw him months ago, she realizes now that he’s troubled. She reasons he’s probably just busy with school, although she knows his selection meant something special. One day, she notices that his training takes place somewhere behind the House of the Old, but she discovers that there’s just a small building labeled “Annex” back there. Maybe his training is causing him to be so solemn.
Again, readers familiar with The Giver will understand that Jonas is, like Claire, receiving an education in emotions, including difficult ones—and this likely accounts for the solemness they both feel. This helps readers understand that Claire and Jonas have a lot in common, even if neither of them realize it at this point.
Themes
