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Chapter 31
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Bone Sparrow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Dehumanization, Invisibility, and Refugee Camps
Childhood
Family and Friendship
Storytelling, Escapism, and Hope
Summary
Analysis
Subhi just has to watch Eli’s hand. That way he doesn’t have to look at Eli’s head or the rock. Eli will wave again if Subhi just keeps looking. Though Subhi wants to go out and comfort Eli and tell him he loves him and that they’re brothers, he can’t. Harvey should be back any minute with help. Subhi watches, waiting for Eli to move, until he falls asleep. He wakes suddenly in the afternoon to Queeny screaming for Harvey that she found Subhi. Queeny’s head is bleeding. Someone put a jacket over Eli’s head. Harvey appears and picks Subhi up. As they walk, Subhi sees that the fences are down, but nobody’s trying to escape. People are injured and crying, and there are doctors, ambulances, and a fire truck. Harvey and Queeny make the medics look Subhi over first, and a doctor says Subhi is fine.
Due to the trauma Subhi experienced while watching Beaver murder his best friend, Subhi is unable to move for any reason, let alone to comfort Eli. Finally, Harvey does return—but to help Subhi, and far too late to do anything for Eli.
Themes
While the doctors look at Queeny, Harvey picks Subhi back up and carries him to the back of the kitchen. Setting Subhi down, Harvey grips Subhi’s arms and asks what he saw. Subhi just stares into Harvey’s eyes and wishes Harvey could somehow extract the words from his brain. If this is the real world, Subhi wants nothing to do with it. He’d rather live in a story, but he can’t remember any. His heart feels like he’s bleeding. Harvey’s words sound heavier, and Subhi can’t make sense of anything. Thoughts crowd in his head, but Harvey won’t let Subhi look away. Harvey is clearly angry, but not with Subhi, because he pulls Subhi into a tight hug. Then, Harvey carries Subhi to Maá.
Keep in mind that Harvey may have several reasons for wanting to know if Harvey saw Beaver murder Eli. He may want to know because he wants to know how much trauma Subhi suffered during the riot. But if Subhi is a witness and if he ever says anything about what he saw, Subhi may have the power to jeopardize Beaver’s job—and possibly even Harvey’s. For now, at least, Harvey seems more interested in Subhi’s welfare, which is why he then takes Subhi directly to Maá.
Themes
