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Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Boy Overboard, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Immigration, Family, and Home
Identity and Ancestry
Hope
Gender and Discrimination
Summary
Analysis
The plane takes off, but no one in Jamal’s family seems happy. Jamal thinks of Yusuf and vows to buy him an amazing football when he gets to Australia. The plane is old and rickety, and Jamal worries that it cannot handle the flight. Other passengers seem scared too, and Jamal thinks it was careless of the flight attendants to tell everyone about the safety features before taking off. Jamal’s mom looks nervous, and Jamal reassures her it will be okay because the plane has guns to protect it against attackers.
For Jamal and his family, the flight is not one of relief and relaxation. Though they are closer now to Australia than ever before, they have sacrificed much to be where they are, and their future is still uncertain and scary. Jamal shares in these worries, but he also tries to alleviate them for the rest of his family, highlighting his selflessness and compassion. Sensing his mom’s nervousness, for instance, Jamal attempts to reassure her about the plane’s safety.
Themes
Jamal’s mom tells him that it does not have guns because it is a passenger plane. Jamal thinks this is an oversight on the part of the plane builders; if the plane costs so much, they might as well add guns. Bibi says the plan probably has bombs, but Jamal explains, patronizingly, that it’s a passenger plane: it does not need bombs if it has guns. Jamal’s mom looks more relaxed, and Jamal is glad he was able calm her down. Jamal realizes that, without the candlestick, everyone in his family will have to look after one another.
Jamal and Bibi have a childish fight over whether the plane has guns or bombs. The squabble seems to have a calming effect on their mother, though Jamal assumes it is because of his logical reasoning. More likely, Jamal’s mother is calmed by the sense of normalcy her children bickering creates. Though everything in their life has changed, Jamal and Bibi are still fundamentally the same children they were before.
Themes
