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Crossing: Shoot Up Hill to Fortune Green
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in NW, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Class Identity and Social Mobility
Geography and Human Connection
Sex and Relationships
Altruism
Summary
Analysis
As Natalie and Nathan walk, the rain gets heavy, and they stop in the doorway to a pub. Natalie mentions again how important Nathan was to Leah when they were younger, and how if she found Leah’s diary, she could prove it. Michel even kind of looks like Nathan. Nathan says that his mother once told him that everyone loves a “bredrin” (meaning a brother/close friend, or a Black man) when he’s 10, but he becomes a problem after that. Natalie thinks that’s a horrible thing to say to a child, but Nathan says it’s just the truth.
Natalie learned from her talk with Theodora that people often perceive women more negatively compared to men when they try to act assertive. But as Nathan reveals here, things aren’t so simple, and being a Black man comes with its own challenges and stereotypes to overcome. Natalie begins to understand the psychology of people like Frank and Michel better, learning that their condescension toward people in lower social classes may partly come from fear and insecurity about their own social status.
Themes
Natalie continues to talk about the past, but Nathan says that was a different life that he has mostly burned from his brain. He accuses Natalie of judging him, and she begins to get upset. Nathan says she just wants to feel sorry for herself. Natalie says all she really wants is to be alone. Even though it’s still raining hard, she runs out alone.
Although Natalie and Nathan have a lot in common, coming from the same background and currently feeling regret for their recent actions, they still struggle to overcome the gulf in understanding between them. Ultimately, as much as Natalie wants someone who can understand her, she can be self-defeating, shutting out the people like Nathan who do try to understand her.
Themes
