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Chapter 51
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sarah’s Key, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Remembrance and History
The Power of Silence
Guilt
Identity
Bravery
The Limits of Love
Summary
Analysis
Julia now receives a phone call from Joshua. He praises her for the attention her article is getting, but mentions that “it would have been perfect if [Julia] could have gotten those roundup cops to talk.” Julia realizes that she has become “obsessed” with the victims of the roundup, and that “a good journalist” would have also attempted to break down the silence around the French government’s role in the roundup. Joshua advises Julia to take some time off and go home, and Julia agrees.
Julia’s assignment began as a short article about the commemoration of the roundup, and has blossomed into an obsession. This suggests that Sarah’s story has a profound resonance for Julia in her life—Julia feels a deep personal connection to Sarah. The novel subtly suggests that Julia’s guilt-driven determination to track down Sarah may be slightly unhealthy, as it has clouded her ability to be an effective journalist.
Themes
