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Chapter 15
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Deadly, Unna?, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Race, Injustice, and Action
Courage and Masculinity
Duty and Sacrifice
Teamwork and Family
Summary
Analysis
Blacky and Clarence go outside. Blacky suggests that they walk down to the jetty so no one sees them. Clarence asks him how many siblings he has, and after he tells her there are eight kids in the family, she says his family is like an indigenous one. They spot Darcy down at the end of the jetty. They sit underneath the shelter. Blacky is uncomfortable, because he realizes Clarence is sitting underneath the graffiti that reads, “Boongs piss off.” He feels guilty, even though he’s not the one who wrote it, because he didn’t try to erase the words either.
By talking to Clarence, Blacky is able to see the similarities between their divided communities. Spending time with Clarence on the jetty with the racist graffiti also leads Blacky to realize that not only is writing racist graffiti morally wrong, but it is also morally wrong to do nothing to cover it up. This is the beginning of Blacky realizing that one must take personal responsibility to combat racism.
Themes
Blacky suggests that they keep walking. They pass by Darcy, who greets Blacky but not Clarence. As Clarence walks on, Darcy tells Blacky to be careful, because all indigenous women have “the clap.” When Blacky meets up again with Clarence, she says she doesn’t like Darcy, but she doesn’t elaborate on why. Blacky doesn’t understand what “the clap” is, but he trusts Darcy’s advice to be careful since Darcy is wise.
Darcy, whom Blacky likes and respects, expresses a racist view by saying all indigenous women have STDs. This shows that those one feels closest to and most familiar with can nonetheless be guilty of upholding racist beliefs. This familiarity is the challenge Blacky must face in order to confront the racism of his community.
Themes
Clarence smokes and she and Blacky chat for a little bit. Eventually, the conversation dies and Blacky feels awkward because he doesn’t know how to talk to girls. He tells Clarence the fact about many of the stars they see being dead. She laughs at him, and Blacky feels stupid for being unable to impress her. He says they should go back inside so that they don’t miss the awards.
This scene shows how the racial divides in their society still get in the way of Clarence and Blacky’s relationship, as she becomes quiet after the comment from Darcy. It also shows Blacky’s innocence and naivety as he is awkward and shy around girls he is attracted to.
Themes
