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Chapter 22
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Body, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Loss of Innocence
Fate, Luck, and Chance
Confronting Mortality
The Power and Limitation of Friendship
Making Meaning through Stories
Summary
Analysis
In fact, Chris, Teddy, Gordie, and Vern aren’t close at all. They figured that Ray Brower must be on the tracks near the Royal River because that’s where Back Harlow Road dead-ends. This point is only about 10 miles away from Castle Rock—as the crow flies. If they had consulted a map, they might have remembered that the railroad tracks make a long, looping detour. Their route is more like 16 miles one way. They start to realize their mistake when they haven’t reached the Royal by noon on Saturday. They’re tired, disheartened, and expect to be in trouble when they get home. But, it’s still shorter to press forward than to turn back. Chris starts walking again, and the rest follow.
The boys didn’t think through their plan clearly enough, reminding readers that, despite the seriousness of what they’ve undertaken, they’re still children. But even the wandering path of the tracks offers its own lesson about life: even when it takes a person where they expect to go, it might not take a straight path to get there. This forms another sort of test in their rite of passage. Their energy and resolve are flagging after so many hours of hiking. As always, it’s Chris who leads the way: he’s the friend with the most wisdom and life experience at this point. He doesn’t expect things to be easy.
Themes
