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Chapter 5
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Milkman, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Stalking and Surveillance
The Personal vs. the Political
Gossip and Rumors
Gender Norms
Summary
Analysis
A few days before middle sister takes her trip to the shop, she overhears her mother taking three phone calls in the other room. The first phone call is from third brother-in-law, who is upset that middle sister has not come running with him lately. Middle sister’s mother explains that middle sister was poisoned and has been in bed, recovering.
Despite her love for third brother-in-law, middle sister is not transparent with him whatsoever about her decision to quit running. Rather, she just stops showing up without a word. Third brother-in-law cares about middle sister, but like nearly everyone else in her life, she does not let him in on the truth.
Themes
The next call comes from maybe-boyfriend, who never calls the house. In fact, middle sister did not even realize he had her home number. Maybe-boyfriend is just calling up to check on middle sister, but her mother mistakes him for Milkman. Middle sister’s mother berates maybe-boyfriend and warns him never to call again. In the other room, middle sister is distressed, wondering what the fallout will be from the call.
Like third brother-in-law, maybe-boyfriend is simply concerned about middle sister. Previously, he has always respected her boundaries and has not reached out to the house. However, her lengthy disappearance understandably has him concerned, so her breaks their agreement. In doing so, he indirectly learns about the Milkman, whom he did not know about up to this point.
Themes
However, before middle sister can worry about that too much, her mother receives a third call informing her that real milkman has been shot. The gossip mill says that he was involved in terrorist activities, though middle sister’s mother knows that cannot be the case. She also learns that someone took real milkman to the hospital, which worries her. Even though real milkman had no choice in the matter, middle sister’s mother knows that the renouncers will cause problems for him for going to the hospital.
Just as real milkman expressed concern for middle sister’s mother earlier in the novel, here middle sister’s mother expresses concern for the real milkman. There is a closeness between two—perhaps romantic in nature, perhaps not—that middle sister either does not know about or undersells up to this point. As middle sister’s mother suspects, it seems unlikely that real milkman was involved in terrorist activities, given his earlier conversation with middle sister.
Themes
Middle sister’s mother leaves to visit real milkman in the hospital. Later that night, she returns and lets middle sister know that real milkman is alive and in stable condition. Then, she tells middle sister that she, along with every other girl in town, used to be in love with real milkman. One of middle sister’s mother’s friends dated real milkman for some time but left him to become a nun. This loss devastated real milkman, so much so that he decided never to be with anyone else.
Here, middle sister’s mother discusses her youth with middle sister, an aspect of her life on which she prefers to stay silent. However, perhaps because of the seriousness of the situation, middle sister’s mother drops her normal guardedness and is completely honest and vulnerable with her daughter.
Themes
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While listening to her mother talk about real milkman, middle sister realizes her mother is still in love with him and always has been. When she presents her theory to her mother, her mother rejects it, arguing that she would not have married middle sister’s father if she was in love with someone else. However, middle sister can tell from her mother’s voice that is exactly what she did. She wonders if her father always knew about her mother’s interest in another man, and whether both of her parents found themselves in a marriage they did not want.
Although she opens up to middle sister, middle sister’s mother cannot believe that she was in love with the real milkman despite being married to middle sister’s father. Here, it appears that she is lying to herself rather than to middle sister, who quickly sees through to the truth. Middle sister’s parents’ unhappy marriage shows how people can uphold traditions even as they cause them harm.
Themes
Over the next several days, middle sister’s mother spends much of her time visiting real milkman in the hospital. She leaves middle sister to care for wee sisters, who are excited at the prospect at being able to let loose because their mother is not around. It is during one of these days that middle sister leaves wee sisters to go to the shop for snacks. There, everybody refuses to make eye contact with her. On her way home from the shop, middle sister is still upset because of how she was treated at the shop. She hates that people associate her with Milkman and think she is responsible for tablets girl’s death. In frustration, she throws the snacks she brought on the ground, attracting a group of nearby dogs.
While middle sister’s mother is focused on real milkman, middle sister must solve the problem of Milkman, who is causing her life to slowly unravel. At this point, her supposed relationship with him has caused her entire community to reject her. When middle sister throws the snacks to the ground, she implicitly expresses how deeply her social ostracization has affected her.
Themes
Moments later, middle sister spots tablets girl’s sister attempting to walk down the street. Tablets girl’s sister has gone nearly blind from the poison, so she has a hard time getting around. Middle sister approaches tablets girl’s sister and asks her if she needs help. She worries that tablets girl’s sister might also think she is responsible for tablets girl’s death, though she does not say anything if that is the case. Middle sister quickly realizes that tablets girl’s sister is slightly checked out mentally. She claims she has been having a hard time reading street signs, even though the renouncers got rid of the street signs some time ago.
Although middle sister knows an encounter with tablets girl’s sister could turn uncomfortable, she cannot bring herself to turn away from someone who is clearly in need. Meanwhile, tablets girl’s sister’s mental state raises questions about the long-term effects of tablets girl’s poisons and whether middle sister may still be in danger.
Themes
Middle sister talks to tablets girl’s sister about tablets girl’s death. Tablets girl’s sister reveals that tablets girl wrote a disturbing note not long before she died. She reads the note to middle sister, which says that tablets girl felt her sister was a threat because of her optimism. As a result, tablets girl poisoned her sister. Tablets girl’s sister reveals that she was actually poisoned multiple times. At first, the poison barely affected her, as she thought she was simply having a rough period. However, soon the doses became stronger, and she almost died.
The entire community regards tablets girl as mentally ill, yet she poisons her sister for the same reason the community punishes some of its members: happiness. Because of the political circumstances, happiness must be snuffed out, even if it means hurting those one loves. Although tablets girl is not sane, her actions are extreme reactions to the broader community’s rhetoric and sense of despair.
Themes
As middle sister and tablets girl’s sister are having this conversation, middle sister’s twin brother—whom she calls third brother—approaches them. Middle sister is shocked because she has not seen third brother in a long time. On the rare occasions she does see him, he barely talks to her. However, notably, third brother used to date tablets girl’s sister. Third brother ended up marrying someone else, but after hearing tablets girl’s sister was sick, he returned to profess his love to her.
This is the first and only time one of middle sister’s brothers appears in the novel. He comes seemingly out of nowhere, evidently to speak with tablets girl’s sister. Notably, third brother expresses no interest in middle sister, which perhaps is not the worst thing given how the rest of the community has been treating her.
Themes
When tablets girl’s sister hears third brother’s voice, at first, she tells him to go away. He broke her heart, and she does not wish to see him anymore. However, third brother repeatedly apologizes for marrying the wrong person. He insists that she is his only true love and takes her in his arms. Quickly, middle sister realizes that tablets girl’s sister is still in love with third brother, and they begin embracing and kissing.
This is the second time in the last few days that a member of middle sister’s family decides they have chosen the wrong person as their life partner. Although she has yet to process it, these interactions will inform how middle sister thinks about and deals with maybe-boyfriend in the future as she determines whether they are right for each other.
Themes
Earlier, middle sister noticed two men fighting down the street, which had drawn a crowd. Now, the crowd moves to where middle sister is standing in the street to watch tablets girl’s sister and third brother reunite. One member of the crowd mentions that third brother is going to have a rough time explaining everything to his wife.
Middle sister’s traditional mother is unlikely to approve of third brother’s decision to leave his wife for tablets girl’s sister. Earlier in the novel, she insisted that marriage is sacred, and she holds herself to that standard.
Themes
Middle sister takes a moment to think about her brothers. She has three biological brothers and one close family friend whom she refers to as fourth brother. From a young age, second brother and fourth brother got involved with the renouncers. At the moment, fourth brother is on the run for killing four state defenders and three ordinary people in an explosion. Meanwhile, first brother and third brother kept away from the renouncers, though they still kept a reputation of being affiliated with the group because of their family connections.
Here, middle sister finally gives the reader a complete picture of her family tree. Including fourth brother, she has a total of 11 siblings, most of whom she rarely talks to. In particular, middle sister distances herself from her brothers, whom she barely mentions in the novel and who similarly appear to have little interest in her. Notably, these brothers are all heavily involved with the renouncers, a detail that complicates middle sister’s attempts to be apolitical. She can minimize her family members’ involvement in paramilitary activities, but her association with them still skews the way the broader community sees her—and the level of protection her renouncer associations grants her.
Themes
Third brother picks up tablets girl’s sister and puts her in his car, so he can take her to the hospital. Then, middle sister goes home where she must inform wee sisters that she did not manage to procure them chips. To make them feel better, middle sister tells them about tablets girl’s sister and third brother. Wee sisters always loved tablets girl’s sister and are excited to get to see her again. For the moment, middle sister does not tell them that tablets girl’s sister is on her way to the hospital.
Third brother leaves almost as soon as he arrives and is not heard from again for the rest of the novel. Meanwhile, middle sister returns home to the few siblings she does talk to (wee sisters) to catch them up on what happened. Because she does not want to bring home bad news, middle sister lies to her sisters about tablets girl’s sister. It is an unfortunate lie, as there is no guarantee tablets girl’s sister will get better.
Themes
Wee sisters inform middle sister that maybe-boyfriend called while she was away. Before long, he calls again and middle sister answers the phone. Middle sister has a lengthy conversation with maybe-boyfriend about their relationship status. Maybe-boyfriend is upset that middle sister has missed their last few scheduled dates. Middle sister is unsure of what she should reveal to maybe-boyfriend to placate him. She decides to inform him that the real milkman was shot but does not elaborate on anything else that has gone on.
After a long hiatus, middle sister and maybe-boyfriend finally speak again. The fact that the conversation takes place on the phone makes the interaction simultaneously intimate and distant—distant in that they are not together, yet intimate because they have never talked on the phone before. Despite everything that has happened, middle sister still cannot bring herself to trust maybe-boyfriend, perhaps because she is beginning to realize she does not love him.
Themes
Maybe-boyfriend offers to come to middle sister’s place to see her, but she tells him no. Still not ready to open herself up to that kind of commitment or tell maybe-boyfriend the full truth, middle sister rejects his offer. Maybe-boyfriend takes her rejection as a sign she is ashamed of him, an accusation he has leveled at her before. This accusation leads to a number of smaller side arguments and revelations.
Middle sister wants to protect herself and maybe-boyfriend, but in trying to do so, she pushes him away. Because she will not tell maybe-boyfriend the truth, her attempts to help him come across as a lack of interest. At the very least, maybe-boyfriend appears certain that middle sister is withholding vital information from him.
Themes
In particular, maybe-boyfriend reveals that he has heard rumors about Milkman and middle sister, though he does not say exactly what he has heard. However, he does accuse her of having sex with Milkman and asks if that is really the road she wants to go down. Meanwhile, middle sister is suspicious of maybe-boyfriend for managing to get her home phone number when she never gave it to him. Their phone call ends after maybe-boyfriend tells middle sister that she has lost her vitality. Both maybe-boyfriend and middle sister end the call feeling angry and unsatisfied.
Although maybe-boyfriend has fallen for the same false rumors about middle sister, it is hard to blame him for coming to the incorrect conclusion. Because middle sister refused to trust maybe-boyfriend, he was left to follow the community rumor mill, which led him to the same incorrect place it led everyone else. Again, lack of communication—a fault of middle sister’s according to longest friend—led them to this moment. Although middle sister and maybe-boyfriend have both insisted that they are not political people, politics affect their personal lives and their relationship with each other nonetheless.
Themes
After middle sister hangs up the phone, she feels bad about how the conversation went. She suddenly feels exhilarated and decides to go speak with maybe-boyfriend in person. Her excitement comes from her hope that doing so will make her life better—that she no longer has to be the lifeless person she has become. As quickly as she can, middle sister travels to maybe-boyfriend home. However, when she gets there, she sees the door has been kicked in.
This is the first time in the novel since the French class about sunsets where middle sister appears genuinely excited. She wants to take the lessons she learned in that class and apply them to her relationship with maybe-boyfriend. However, although she is excited, the kicked-in door suggests she might be too late.
Themes
Middle sister walks inside maybe-boyfriend’s home without saying a word. In the kitchen, she hears chef talking to someone. At first, she assumes he is talking to himself, as he often does, but then someone responds. Middle sister peers into the kitchen from afar, still not making herself known, and sees maybe-boyfriend holding something over his eyes. She also sees that he has blood on him.
The blood and the broken door suggest someone assaulted maybe-boyfriend, presumably renouncers. Finally, either his provocations or middle sister’s dealings with Milkman (or perhaps both) have led to violence—the outcome middle sister had hoped to avoid at all costs.
Themes
Middle sister listens to maybe-boyfriend and chef’s conversation. Although she cannot hear everything, she gathers that someone came and threw something at maybe-boyfriend’s face while he was alone. Maybe-boyfriend is not sure what hit him, but he cannot open his eyes. Chef wants to take maybe-boyfriend to the hospital, but maybe-boyfriend refuses to go. He does not want to make more trouble with the renouncers than he already has.
Although maybe-boyfriend did not mind provoking the renouncers before, here he seems to regret crossing that line. He knows that going to the hospital would be a further betrayal and provocation that could lead to more violence and possibly his death. Additionally, renewing his commitment with middle sister would also be a provocation, though it is unclear whether he recognizes that.
Themes
Additionally, middle sister hears maybe-boyfriend refer to her in a disparaging manner. Just as he did on the phone, maybe-boyfriend once again accuses her of having sex with Milkman. The accusation hurts even more for middle sister when it is said behind her back, and she suddenly regrets spying rather than announcing her presence.
On the phone, middle sister seems to think that maybe-boyfriend did not mean what he said—that he simply spoke out of anger. However, now she knows that he shares the same view of her as everyone else in the community.
Themes
Suddenly, the mood shifts as chef begins stroking maybe-boyfriend’s face. Maybe-boyfriend and chef discuss how they should be together instead. At this point, middle sister looks away because she does not want to see what happens next. However, she can tell from the sudden silence that they are kissing. At this point, middle sister realizes she cannot announce her presence. Rather than stick around, she walks back out the open front door and heads home.
Here, middle sister’s fears about maybe-boyfriend are confirmed. She does not express homophobia in this moment—as many people in her community would have—but she is too devastated to watch chef and maybe-boyfriend kiss. In this moment, she realizes that she has been mistaken about belonging with maybe-boyfriend, just as her mother and brother were mistaken about their respective spouses.
Themes
As middle sister walks home, Milkman pulls up next to her in his van and offers her a lift. Defeated, middle sister gets in the van, almost without thinking. She is surprised how unemotional she feels while doing so, especially because she has spent so long refusing to cross this threshold. Mentally, she recalls longest friend’s advice to never get in Milkman’s van.
Milkman’s sudden appearance implies that he knows maybe-boyfriend was attacked and perhaps perpetrated the attack himself. However, at this point, middle sister does not care, and she finally gives in to Milkman because she does not think she has anywhere left to turn.
Themes
Milkman drives middle-sister home and promises her that everything will be alright from now on. As long as he is around, he plans to take care of her, and he promises no harm will come to maybe-boyfriend. Milkman drops middle-sister off at home and promises to return the following night to take her on a date. He asks that she puts some effort into dressing up and comes prepared for a good time.
Everything Milkman says, he has the power to do. However, his promises depend on middle-sister holding up her end of the bargain, which presumably involves sex. By giving into Milkman, middle-sister will become the person her family and community assumed she was all along.
Themes
