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Chapter 4
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in That Was Then, This Is Now, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humility, Responsibility, and Coming of Age
Brotherhood, Loyalty, and Betrayal
Rules and Consequences
Violence and Revenge
Love and Selflessness
Summary
Analysis
Bryon and Mark visit Bryon’s mother at the hospital again, and afterward they stop in to see Mike. Following this visit, Bryon heads to the snack bar to see Cathy. He’s called her a few times since the dance, but they haven’t been out again. Cathy is on a break, so Bryon buys her a Coke. Bryon finds Cathy’s honesty refreshing—particularly after dating Angela—and he appreciates that Cathy is smart. Cathy tells him that Curtis asked her out, but she said she was busy. Bryon is pleased and says that he’ll take her out—though he doesn’t know how or where they’ll go.
The fact that Bryon appreciates Cathy’s honesty demonstrates how she is helping him to grow up, take more responsibility for himself, and act selflessly. Bryon is notorious for lying in order to get what he wants—but the more his affection for Cathy grows, the more he wants to be honest and open with her as well.
Themes
Bryon decides to go hustling to get some money. He borrows $5 from M&M and says he’ll pay him back the next day. He and Mark then go to Charlie’s and discover Charlie is in a good mood: he tells them that he won’t be drafted because of his police record. Bryon asks if there are any people they can hustle, and Charlie says that there are a few guys at the pool table whom they can beat. He asks if it would do any good to tell them to be careful, and Bryon says no.
Hinton emphasizes Bryon and Mark’s cockiness as they once again choose to ignore Charlie’s warnings to be careful. Even though they understand that they could suffer consequences for their crimes, they dismiss this possibility and completely ignore any potential ramifications their actions could have on others.
Themes
Bryon and Mark hustle two tough-looking Texans. Mark helps Bryon play up the act as they lose their first game together. Bryon then insists that he can go for another game, and he wins many successive games, unable to stop. By midnight, he has made $25. One of the men, Dirty Dave, comments that Bryon is a good pool player, and his friend mumbles that Bryon is “too good.”
Bryon’s confidence not only leads him to hustle these men at pool but also to overplay his hand by winning too much, illustrating his immaturity and cockiness in the situation.
Themes
At closing time, before Bryon and Mark leave, Bryon asks Charlie if he can borrow his car again. Charlie agrees, but when he notices that Mark has a beer, Charlie warns him not to sneak one again or he’ll beat Mark up. Mark assures Charlie that he left a quarter on the register.
This exchange encapsulates Bryon and Mark’s diverging approaches to adulthood. While Bryon shows that he is more responsible in taking care of Charlie’s car, Mark continues his pattern of reckless rule-breaking and refuses to take any responsibility.
Themes
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When Mark and Bryon leave, the Texans stop the boys outside. The men say that they have a gun and want to teach the boys a lesson about hustling. Bryon starts to shake as he steps into the alley, envisioning the horrible things they might do to him. But just as Dirty Dave approaches Mark, Charlie steps into the alley with a shotgun. He tells the Texans to drop the gun and freeze, and they do so. Bryon and Mark walk out of the alley, relieved and smug.
Bryon and Mark’s smugness in the moment that Charlie saves them illustrates how, when they and others do not face ramifications for their actions, they are simply able to brush off the terrible things that could have happened to them. Without facing any consequences, they feel entitled to their self-assured attitudes and will likely not change their behavior.
Themes
Charlie starts to say that he hopes Mark and Bryon learned from the experience—but as they’re walking away, one of the Texans dives for the gun and starts shooting. Charlie slams Bryon and Mark to the ground while Mark grabs the shotgun and fires. The Texans run off, and Bryon discovers that Charlie has been shot in the head—he’s dead.
Charlie’s death is a significant turning point for Bryon’s coming-of-age journey, as he finally recognizes the dire consequences that his and Mark’s actions can have on others. No longer is he smug or self-assured—this incident shakes his confidence entirely.
Themes
The next few weeks are blurry for Bryon. His mother returns from the hospital, and Angela gets married to one of her brother’s friends. Mark tells the police about what happened to Charlie, and the police give Charlie’s car to Bryon. Bryon is guilty because Charlie warned him not to hustle at pool. Mark says that Charlie knew the chance he was taking when he came out with the gun, and that “things happen.” Bryon thinks that Mark doesn’t understand.
Bryon begins the process of growing up in earnest here. He knows that if he’d heeded Charlie’s advice and hadn’t hustled the Texans, Charlie would not have been killed. As such, Bryon begins to feel guilty and takes responsibility for what happened. Mark, on the other hand, denies any fault on their part, reflecting his refusal to grow up in the same way. That Bryon also receives Charlie’s car reinforces his newfound maturity, as it symbolizes Bryon’s increasing responsibility.
Themes
Bryon talks to Cathy about his guilt over Charlie’s death. They spend more and more time together, particularly now that Bryon has a car. After a few weeks, they drive to the park and make out for a while. But Bryon thinks that this is different than what he used to do with other girls, because he’s no longer thinking only about himself.
The fact that Bryon is no longer thinking about himself is a dramatic shift for him. It illustrates the way in which his love and respect for Cathy leads him to prioritize her needs as well as his own.
Themes
Mark begins acting strangely, staring at Bryon as if he were a stranger. He grows frustrated that Bryon is spending so much time with Cathy. Bryon thinks that Mark feels like their normal dynamic is slipping away, and that Mark is trying to hang on to what they had. Bryon is surprised that Mark is so jealous; he simply concludes that he is changing while Mark isn’t.
Mark’s frustration with Bryon reflects two of their changing dynamics: that Bryon is growing up without him and that Bryon is now prioritizing Cathy over Mark. Bryon realizes that Mark views these changes as a betrayal of their brotherhood. Where they once thought exactly like, Bryon now relates more to Cathy than he does to Mark.
Themes
