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Jack of Spades
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in I Am the Messenger, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Circumstance vs. Choice
Heroism, Sainthood, and Ordinariness
Purpose, Success, and Meaning
Hope, Caring, and Beauty
Summary
Analysis
The next morning, Ed contemplates what Ma said to him. He knows his mission with her is complete, because she needed to tell him what she told him last night. She made him realize he cannot be a loser cabdriver his whole life. Then Ed decides to visit Father O’Reilly at church. The Father is happy to see him and asks if God has been with him these last few weeks. Ed says no, but the Father assures him that everything happens for a reason.
Ma’s influence on Ed shows how personal relationships can motivate an individual to search for their purpose in life, even when those relationships also cause pain. Father O’Reilly represents the view that a benevolent outside force dictates individuals’ lives, an idea that Ed does not yet believe himself.
Themes
Ed goes to the third address on the card, an old movie theater. The theater appears completely empty, until he finds an old man sleeping in the back room and wakes him up. The man excitedly says Ed is his first customer in weeks. Ed is alone in the theater as the man plays a classic film. However, the movie stops halfway through because the old man has fallen asleep again. The man, embarrassed, offers Ed a free movie.
The emptiness of the theater suggests a lack of traditional success as a business. However, the man’s excitement shows he finds meaning beyond these ideas of success. This suggests that an individual can find joy and purpose in life beyond traditional markers of success such as accumulating money.
Themes
Ed introduces himself to the old man, but the man says he already knows Ed’s name, because he was told Ed was coming. Ed asks him who told him he was coming, and after a little bit of questioning, he determines Keith and Daryl visited the theater before him. The man tells Ed that when he is finished with the mission, he will receive another delivery. Ed says that he needs to help the man. The man says Ed should just come in for a free movie.
The visit from Keith and Daryl suggests this mission will have greater significance for Ed, further emphasizing the idea that outside forces dictate the direction of an individual’s life. What’s more, Ed’s realization that all the man needs is for him to watch the movie shows that helping others can take unexpected forms.
Themes
The old man asks Ed if he has a girl and Ed says yes. Then the man tells Ed to invite the girl to movie. He explains that he used to love taking dates to this movie theater when he was a kid, which is why he bought the theater in his retirement. He lets Ed select any movie he wants, and Ed selects Cool Hand Luke. The man introduces himself as Bernie Price.
Unlike Ed’s purposeless life, Bernie clearly has a purpose in life in sharing his love of movies with others. This shows how one can find meaning in a pursuit outside of traditional ideas of success and also indicates that following one’s purpose can create happiness for others.
Themes
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Ed invites Audrey to the movie tomorrow, and then he goes to visit Milla. He invites her to his house on Christmas and she agrees because she has been so lonely without him. The next day, both Ed and Audrey dress up in nice clothes and walk to the theater together. Ed reveals that he has picked her favorite movie for them to watch. She holds his arm as they walk.
The closeness between Ed and Audrey in this scene shows how intimacy between two people is created through simple moments of understanding, like Ed knowing Audrey’s favorite movie.
Themes
Ed introduces Audrey to Bernie, and they settle down in the theater for the movie. Ed hopes Bernie feels happy seeing them watching the movie, thinking they are actually dating. Ed knows this is what he can do for Bernie. However, Ed also hopes to find a little happiness himself in this mission.
Ed’s way of helping Bernie shows how empathy can help all individuals involved. Ed has also begun to recognize that helping others improves his own life as well.
Themes
Ed asks Audrey if they can invite Bernie to watch the movie with them and Audrey agrees. Bernie initially refuses to interrupt them, but then joins them after a few minutes and sits next to Audrey. Audrey holds both Ed and Bernie’s hands. Ed thinks that sometimes, he is content to just be Audrey’s friend, because she knows exactly what a person needs.
Ed’s thoughts about Audrey show how he has matured as a character, as he realizes that caring for and understanding others is more important than sexual relationships. This shows how one should find meaning in kindness rather than superficial markers of achievement.
Themes
Bernie falls asleep but the movie reel needs to be changed. Audrey wakes him and he leaves, but Ed realizes someone is already in the projection room. Ed runs toward the room and Audrey follows, but they only find Bernie standing outside the room. He shakes with surprise because someone jumped out of the room at him. They go inside the projection room and find a reel with Ed’s name on it there. Ed wonders why someone keeps doing this to him. Bernie responds that “they do it because they can.” He also tells Ed they told him they planned this out a year in advance. Ed and Audrey return to the theater to see what is on the mystery film reel.
Bernie’s words are especially chilling because they imply an individual like Ed has no control over their lives; it seems here like what happens to him has nothing to do with his choices, but instead is determined by an outside force. This incident tests Ed’s growing belief that it’s his reactions to circumstance that really matter, since it’s becoming increasingly clear that the circumstances themselves may be totally beyond his control.
Themes
