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Book 3, Chapter 6
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
Gabe is extremely proud of the paddle he made to go with his boat. He knows it’s essential, and he’s spent every night at the Boys’ Lodge carving it. His friends have all carved their names on it, and as they did so, Gabe veered briefly into their feelings. Not everyone thinks he’ll make it—but they all admire his courage and his reasons for trying. He finally asked Jonas to carve his name, too.
Gabe continues to find veering a mostly positive exercise. It allows him to better understand his friends, and thus to feel more connected to them. It’s significant that he then asked Jonas to sign his name, as this points to Gabe’s close relationship with Jonas and the fact that Gabe does have important and meaningful connections in this village—even as he plans to leave.
Themes
Now, Gabe is at the river to launch his boat on a trial run, annoyed that all his friends have arrived to watch and, if need be, rescue him. When he leaves for good, he’ll do this in secret and just leave notes. Simon wants Gabe to let them hang onto him with a rope, but Gabe spits that he’s not a baby. Another boy points to a crack in the boat, which Gabe stuffs with fabric. Several boys help him push the boat into the water and Gabe stands up in it, holding his paddle. He’s proud—until the boat spins. As the boat moves further out into the fast water, Gabe realizes it’ll be difficult to return to shore. He aims for shore, but the boat is taking on water.
Gabe wants to be independent and self-sufficient, which seems to be tied to his desire to be treated like an adult. This is why he’s so adamant that he’s not a baby. However, Gabe is missing a point that his friends all seem to understand, which is that everyone, even adults, need help sometimes—especially when they’re doing something dangerous, like launching a boat into a rushing river.
Themes
Finally, Gabe sticks his paddle into the mud and Tarik throws the rope to Gabe. Accepting defeat, Gabe lets his friends pull him in. Jonas is on the shore too, and he sends the other boys away and waits with Gabe while Gabe pulls his boat onto the shore. Gabe is close to tears. He suggests he should just let his boat sink—though he is proud of his paddle. This is so disappointing. Now, he’ll never be able to ride the river to his old community and see his mother racing toward him. As Gabe kicks the boat, Jonas tells him to come home with him so they can talk. Gabe brings his paddle.
Gabe feels demoralized for having to rely on his friends to get back to shore safely. But symbolically, this suggests that Gabe both needs his friends for support and that his real community is here (readers already know this, as they know Claire is here while Gabe does not). Additionally, while the boat itself is a failure and doesn’t hold water, Gabe is proud of his paddle—something that’s imbued with his friends’ love and care, as they’ve carved their names into it.
Themes
