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Chapter 21
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
Jamal jumps into the water after Bibi. The water is cold and green, and he has trouble swimming. He sees her in the water next to him but has trouble keeping them both afloat. As he runs out of breath, he sees Australia in his mind. Then something pulls him up to the ship and he can breathe again, though he can no longer see Australia. He sees Bibi next to him on the boat and pulls her close. The sailor in the yellow overalls grins at him and unhooks his hook from Bibi’s clothes.
Without any hesitation, Jamal jumps into the water to save Bibi, proving once again that he is often too hard on himself. While he may think he falls short of the legacy of his desert warrior ancestors, moments like this suggest the contrary. Here at least, he exhibits incredible bravery and courage.
Themes
Jamal wants to go back to the Australia he saw while drowning. He and Bibi were winning the cup final in it, and now they’re on a boat. Jamal remembers his parents and calls out to them. He doesn’t see them, however, and he discovers that they’re on the other boat. He calls out to them across the water, and they see Jamal and Bibi. They are shocked and their dad begins to jump into the water, but their mom stops him. The distance between the boats increases and Jamal calls for the other boat to come back.
Jamal’s wishes to return to the vision he has of Australia while drowning, revealing the extent of his suffering in the waking world. Though he has tried to stay optimistic since leave Afghanistan, the stresses of his journey have caught up with him, and he clearly desires some sort of escape. Thus, though it would spell his death, Jamal is tempted to stay in his idyllic vision of Australia beneath the water.
Themes
