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Chapter 12: The Show Must Go On
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Good Night, Mr. Tom, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Biological Family vs. Chosen Family
Civilians in Wartime
Grief and Healing
Talent and Community
Religion
Summary
Analysis
Willie is practicing his lines as Scrooge, trying to deliver them in a convincingly cranky fashion, when George pops into Willie’s bedroom and reminds him it’s Thursday: the first choir practice with Tom. Willie and George hurry to the church. Willie sees Tom at the organ, scowling, and smiles at him because he knows Tom’s scowl is just shyness. Tom tells the choir to sing and begins playing. No one sings. When Tom asks why not, one choir member says they were listening: Tom has stayed a good player all these years. Tom tells them he’s not playing for his own benefit and gruffly encourages them to sing, leading them through several carols and at one point thinking of what advice Rachel would give to the singers.
When Tom grumpily tells the choir that he’s not playing the organ for his own benefit, it emphasizes that he has only resumed playing the instrument—which he gave up after his wife died—due to the community’s need for his talents. In a similar way, Tom only showed his true, kind nature and reentered community life because Willie needed an involved guardian. Yet in responding to the needs of others, Tom has begun to move past his own paralyzing grief at his wife’s death—which suggests that being needed can be a form of emotional support and healing.
Themes
When the practice ends, Willie and George approach Tom. George praises the rehearsal and leaves. When all the others have gone, Tom offers to play Willie one of Rachel’s favorite songs. It’s so mournful and beautiful that after Tom finishes, Willie tears up telling Tom how good it was. Tom claims to be out of practice but admits that he enjoyed the song too.
When Tom plays one of his dead wife Rachel’s favorite songs for Willie, it shows that Tom has come to consider Willie a new family member and that Tom’s growing affection for Willie is helping him confront his painful memories of Rachel’s death and move past them.
Themes
