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Chapter 2
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Great Alone, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Trauma and Violence
Paranoia and the Vietnam War
Isolation
Family and Community
Death and Grief
Coming of Age
Summary
Analysis
Four days later, the Allbrights are on their way to their new home. They have a great time driving up the Alcan highway and Leni thinks this is the happiest she has ever seen her parents. Leni herself is enchanted by the beauty of Alaska and spends her time taking pictures of the landscape. Eventually the Allbrights arrive in Homer, where they take a ferry to Kaneq, their new home. Ernt reminds his family that the only way to leave Kaneq is by plane or boat. Upon arriving in Kaneq, Leni and Cora are extremely underwhelmed, as the majesty they witnessed in the rest of Alaska is nowhere to be found. Kaneq’s main street is only a block long and Leni quickly notices that there is no school in sight. She worries there will be no one her age in Kaneq.
Several times in The Great Alone, Cora and Leni will find temporary happiness, only to have it swiftly undercut; this is the first of those instances. Also, the fact that Kaneq is difficult to leave is disconcerting for Cora and Leni, who are not yet sure about their new home. For Leni, who yearns to fit in and have friends, Kaneq initially seems like a step in the wrong direction.
Themes
The Allbrights enter the general store on Main Street where they meet Large Marge, the store’s owner. The store itself is unorganized, though Marge assures the Allbrights that it contains everything they need. When the Allbrights tell Marge that they are moving to Kaneq, she offers them a number of warnings about the dangers of the region. Leni and Cora are frightened by what Marge says, but Ernt finds it exciting. To reassure Cora, Marge tells her that they are neighbors, and she will come running whenever Cora needs her.
Marge’s warnings to the Allbrights highlight how unprepared they are for life in Alaska. It is telling that Marge knows that Leni and Cora are scared, while Ernt is too excited to notice or care. Ernt prioritizing his feelings over those of his wife and daughter will continue to be an issue as the novel progresses. In addition, Marge’s promise to come running to the Allbrights is another instance of foreshadowing.
Themes
The Allbrights leave the general store equipped with a map given to them by Marge. They begin to drive in the direction of their home and as they do so the terrain becomes more and more remote. Eventually they come to a stop, just a few hundred feet short of a cliff. Their new property is close by, but the driveway has not been cared for, so they are forced to hike in. Leni and Cora find this quite distressing, though Ernt remains excited. The hike takes quite some time and darkness begins to close in.
Danger is present everywhere in Kaneq, as is evidenced by the cliff near the Allbrights’ new home. Here, Cora and Leni get their first taste of what it is like to fend for themselves; no has cleared the road to their house, and no one will unless they do it. Once again, though Leni and Cora are distressed, Ernt continues to live in his own world, largely ignoring the feelings of his family members.
Themes
Finally, the Allbrights reach their destination and Leni and Cora are horrified by what they see. Their new home—a cabin—is incredibly small and has not been cared for whatsoever; its deck is rotting, the indoors reeks of animal feces, and the dust is so thick that breathing is difficult. Leni looks around for a bathroom, to no avail. When she asks Cora about it, Cora gasps as she realizes that their new bathroom is an outhouse. Despite their uncertainty, Leni and Cora reassure one another about their new living situation. They both hold on to the belief that this change will help Ernt be happy.
Already stressed out from their trip, Cora and Leni find the cabin is almost a step too far. Even basic necessities for life, such as clean air and sewage, are not present here. However, it speaks to Cora and Leni’s love for Ernt that they are willing to tolerate such conditions, at least temporarily. The question, though, at this point in the narrative, is whether that love goes both ways.
Themes
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