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Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Nightingale, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Morality and Impossible Choices
Antisemitism and Active Resistance
Gender Roles
Love and War
Summary
Analysis
On her way to a resistance meeting, Isabelle sees the Allied forces bomb the airfield. She watches as an American fighter pilot goes down, and she takes it upon herself to rescue him. Isabelle quickly locates the pilot and tells him that she intends to rescue him. However, before she can do anything, she hears a group of people coming from behind her. Luckily, the noise belongs to other resistance members who have come to help the pilot as well.
As always, Isabelle jumps into action without thinking of the consequences. She demonstrates great bravery but also extraordinary recklessness. Although her friends show up to help her, the noises she hears could have easily been the enemy. If this was the case, then Isabelle could have lost her life.
Themes
Isabelle realizes that they are near Vianne’s home, so she decides to take the pilot to her secret hideout in the barn. Because the pilot is badly wounded, she sends Gaëtan and Henri to go get a doctor. Isabelle manages to get the pilot to the barn and then sits there with him in the dark. However, before long, the pilot dies.
Here, Isabelle makes yet another reckless decision. She knows Vianne would never allow the pilot near her home because of what could happen to Sophie if anyone found out. To make matters worse, the pilot dies almost immediately, meaning Isabelle’s risk was all for nothing.
Themes
The next day, Beck talks to Vianne about the American plane that the Germans shot down. He is irritated because he was tasked with finding the pilot, but he hasn’t been able to do so. He begins insulting the French and says that he doesn’t understand why they will not help the Nazis when the Nazis have been so kind to them. Vianne doesn’t bother to argue with him, and before long, Beck leaves.
Although he has built a lot of goodwill, Beck is less sympathetic than usual in this passage—there is no standard by which the Nazis treated the French people well. Even if Beck himself has been kind, his compatriots have been far from it, and he too is complicit in their inhumane operations.
Themes
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When Vianne steps outside, she notices that the barn door is open more than it should be. Vianne wonders if Rachel has escaped and managed to hide in the barn. However, when she goes to check and see, all she finds is Isabelle with the dead pilot. Isabelle promises that she will be gone as soon as possible, but Vianne is furious anyway. She thinks that, as usual, Isabelle has put Vianne’s life and Sophie’s in danger without thinking.
Vianne goes to the barn hoping for a miracle but only finds more trouble. In an instant, all of the goodwill that Isabelle had built up in Vianne's mind vanishes. Instead, Vianne's anger at her sister returns. Once again, she thinks of Isabelle as someone who acts before she thinks and endangers those she loves.
Themes
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Vianne goes back inside and tries to find ways to occupy her time that don’t cause her extra stress. She knows how bad it would be for everyone involved if the pilot was found on her property. She even considers telling Beck the truth. Hours later, Beck returns, more frustrated than ever. He still hasn’t found the pilot and the higher-ups in the German army are taking out their frustrations on him.
At this point, there is nothing Vianne can do to get out of the bind Isabelle’s recklessness has put her in—she must wait and hope that the situation plays itself out without Beck discovering the truth. Vianne does not want to lie to Beck, but Isabelle has left her with no choice. Beck is more stressed than ever because he faces the wrath of the higher-ups in the Nazi party.
Themes
It doesn’t take Beck long to realize that Vianne is agitated about something. Suddenly, he becomes suspicious and begins searching the property for the pilot. Soon, he makes his way to the barn with Vianne following close behind. Beck lifts the cover to Isabelle’s hiding spot with a gun in his hand, but as he does so Vianne hits him in the head with a shovel. Simultaneously a gunshot goes off, and a bullet hits Beck in the chest. He falls over dead as Isabelle makes her way out of the hiding spot.
Beck has lived with Vianne for a long time, so he quickly realizes something is wrong. Most likely, Beck feels betrayed by Vianne. He has treated her well and even risked his life for her, but she still lies to him. This section ends with a sudden burst of violence from both Vienne and Isabelle. Neither of them wants to hurt Beck, but they have no choice.
Themes
Vianne is distraught over killing Beck. Despite everything, she thinks Beck was a good man, and she is angry with Isabelle for making her kill him. In an attempt to make her sister feel better, Isabelle tells Vianne that it is likely the bullet that killed Beck, not the hit with the shovel. However, Vianne feels guilty, nonetheless.
Although Beck was not perfect, Vianne still believed he was a fundamentally good person. Her statement here is reminiscent of the one the unnamed narrator made earlier in the novel. Vianne regrets killing Beck, and it would be understandable if this incident haunted her later in life. However, an elderly Isabelle could say the same thing. After all, it is unclear which one of the sisters landed the killing blow. As such, the narrator's identity remains unknown.
Themes
Before Vianne and Isabelle can figure out what to do next, Henri and Gaëtan arrive with a coffin. Henri promises to get rid of both bodies, but even so the problem of Beck’s disappearance remains. Vianne decides that it is best to stay put and pretend that she has no idea what happened to Beck. Her only other choice would be to go into hiding, which would only put her and Sophie in more danger.
The good news is that Isabelle and Vianne have the support of the rebellion to back them up. Although Beck's disappearance will be suspicious, no one will have any reason to suspect Vianne.
Themes
As Vianne, Isabelle, and Henri iron out their plan, Isabelle falls to the ground. Although she did not realize it until now, Beck apparently shot her at the same time that she shot him. Vianne tends to the wound and suggests that Isabelle stay with her. However, Henri and Gaëtan have a different plan in mind. They promise Vianne to take good care of Isabelle and then take her away in the coffin they brought with them.
Apparently, the incident is even worse than it initially appeared. Isabelle finally receives a severe injury as a result of her actions. In an instant, Vianne forgets her anger at her sister and only cares for her safety. This shows that although their relationship is imperfect, Vianne still deeply loves Isabelle.
Themes
