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34. Joana
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Salt to the Sea, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Agency, Willpower, and Fate
Storytelling and Fantasy
Memory and Survival
Family and Community vs. Selfishness
Summary
Analysis
Florian is shocked and disgusted to learn that Emilia is pregnant. He assumes she has been raped, either by conquering soldiers or civilians made lawless by the conflict.
Florian’s disgust is related to the fact that someone would have sex with a fifteen-year-old girl. However, Emilia often expresses shame at her condition, assuming that any disgust is targeted at her.
Themes
After entering the manor, Joana brings Florian into a private room to look at the wound on his side. Joana assumes Florian will keep caring for Emilia, but Florian explains he’s behind schedule and can’t look out for the Polish girl. Joana points out that she and her group of refugees are walking in the same direction as Florian, and they should all stay together. Although he does not say it, Florian believes “it wasn’t ‘safer’ for anyone to be with [him].”
By this point, from the outside, Florian and Emilia appear to be friends, or at least intimate travel companions. Although Florian has had moments where he has felt responsible for her, he still thinks it is better for him to travel alone. Notably, his rationale for splitting up is no longer selfish (worrying Emilia will slow him down); instead, it is selfless (he doesn’t want to put anyone else in danger).
Themes
