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87. Florian
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
Alfred is assigned to collect life vests and floats. The task gives him the chance to go find Florian. He finds him in the movie house, where Florian hands Alfred the propaganda flyer he had found earlier. Florian tells the soldier that he believes Alfred is a “good German.”
Earlier, Florian had been looking at the same piece of propaganda and thinking that the individuals whom Nazis have deemed “Good Germans” are actually bad people. However, he understands that Alfred has bought into the German’s philosophy, and so Florian acts as though he believes the propaganda to try and get on Alfred’s good side.
Themes
Alfred brings Florian a blank boarding pass and wonders how he will use it to get on the ship. Florian evades the question but asks Alfred to find Joana, and tell her that Florian needs to see her. Florian is surprised to find that Alfred thinks Joana is attractive. Defensively, he tells Alfred that Joana is “already spoken for.”
Florian likes Joana and has become increasingly protective of her. When he sees that Alfred is potentially interested in her, Florian does his best to shut him down. However, by using vague language, he doesn’t say who speaks for Joana, leaving open the possibly that she has some far-away lover.
Themes
