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Chapter 13
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The City & the City, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Borders and Doubles
Seeing vs. Unseeing
Crime vs. Punishment
Urban Life and Alienation
Paranoia, Conspiracy, and Illicit Knowledge
Summary
Analysis
Borlú and Dhatt go to a teahouse, where Dhatt becomes a little less “aggressive.” Borlú looks out into the street, observing the different fashion favored by Ul Qomans and the greater proportion of Asian, Arab, and African faces in the crowds. He and Dhatt politely discuss how they will divide their duties so as not to step on each other’s toes. Dhatt mentions that Aikam, who is only 19, was out with students the night of Mahalia’s murder. They discuss the van, and conclude that there are either two perpetrators involved, or one who committed breach. At the same time, the whole visa element of the van theft implies that the perpetrator was being careful to avoid breaching.
After some initial hostility, Borlú and Dhatt seem to have mutually agreed to work together and make each other’s lives as easy as possible. This is significant not only in the context of the case of Mahalia’s murder, but also the broader context of relations between Besźel and Ul Qoma. Perhaps if people from the two cities had more time to properly interact with one another, tensions and conflict would ease up.
Themes
Borlú confesses that he received an anonymous tip about the case from a caller in Ul Qoma who saw the poster in Besźel. Dhatt is shocked, but says he doesn’t think Breach will take Borlú for this infraction, particularly considering he is a police officer. Borlú says he has no idea who the person was, but thinks they might be a unificationist. Dhatt immediately gets up and announces they should “go fucking detecting!” Driving quickly and erratically, he takes them to a place where Ul Qoman unificationists are known to congregate. While they drive, Dhatt comments that unification would be a “fucking catastrophe.” Borlú laughs at Dhatt’s chatter about all the ways in which it could go wrong.
Unlike Borlú, Dhatt evidently holds some pretty strong political opinions. Borlú’s neutrality arguably helps him to remain rational and clear-eyed in his detective work. At the same time, in politically charged situations like the division between Ul Qoma and Besźel, it is always worth asking whether a neutral position is actually possible. By more-or-less holding up the status quo, Borlú is in fact taking a position—just one that is not as obvious as an “extremist” or dissident view.
Themes
Unificationists are not legally recognized in Ul Qoma; neither are socialist, fascist, or religious political parties. For almost 100 years, it has been a single-party state, run by the People’s National Party. The current president has eased state repression, and persecution of illegal political parties has lessened. Arriving at the building, Dhatt bangs on the door, shouting. A young woman with shaved hair and tattoos opens it; Dhatt storms in and demands that everyone inside assemble in the kitchen. Dhatt lines them up and makes them repeat the phrase, “Inspector, I have something to tell you.” When they disobey or talk back, Dhatt smacks them. Once they are all done, Borlú concludes there are only two who it could have been.
More differences between Besźel and Ul Qoma emerge in this passage. The reader already knows that Ul Qoma is richer, more secular, and more ethnically diverse. Here it also becomes clear that the nation has a history of authoritarianism. This is reflected not only in the fact that all dissident parties are technically banned, but in the violent treatment to which Dhatt subjects the unificationists. As a police officer, he obviously feels that he can act with impunity.
Themes
Borlú asks them a few more questions, but they don’t yield much, and he indicates to Dhatt that they should leave. In the car, Dhatt asks why Borlú shied away from their only promising lead. Borlú replies that he doesn’t think the call came from one of the unificationists, and he’s not sure if it even came from Ul Qoma at all. Dhatt suggests they take a few hours to collect themselves and get through some paperwork before meeting up again. In his hotel room, Borlú speaks to Corwi on the phone. At first they use the code, but eventually drop it after it becomes too difficult. Borlú asks Corwi to find whatever information she can on Dhatt’s background. He explains that he’s not sure if he trusts Dhatt.
Borlú and Corwi’s failed attempt to use their code reflect their own confusion about the possibility that they are being watched—and indeed, their broader confusion over who they can trust. They seem unable to decide whether using the code is prudent and necessary or whether it is in fact excessive and paranoid.
Themes
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