Jonah Character Analysis in The Bone Sparrow

Jonah is Jimmie’s older brother. Though he’s often immature—he makes cruel jokes sometimes and thinks it’s funny to purposefully shoot milk out of his nose—he loves Jimmie and does his best to take care of her, since Jimmie’s dad is often away working and Jimmie’s mum is deceased. He promises to bring Jimmie chocolate and a bike for her birthday, which makes Jimmie feel loved and cared for.

Jonah Character Timeline in The Bone Sparrow

The timeline below shows where the character Jonah appears in The Bone Sparrow. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Storytelling, Escapism, and Hope Theme Icon

...since her mum died. She likes school, but she has to rely on her brother Jonah to get her to the bus, which only runs once per day. The school seldom... (full context)

...the seeds to get them to grow. After Jimmie’s mum died, Jimmie, her dad, and Jonah planted a wattle, her mum’s favorite tree, out front—a sure sign they weren’t moving. They’ve... (full context)

Dehumanization, Invisibility, and Refugee Camps Theme Icon

...ignores the signs warning about crocodiles and goes swimming (she can’t read the sign, but Jonah has read it to her so many times that she has it memorized). Sometimes Jimmie... (full context)

...out the bathroom window. She picks her way down the hill and reaches the fence. Jonah always told Jimmie that fences mean there’s something interesting inside, and that you just have... (full context)

...Now, Jimmie picks up her mum’s notebook and says that Subhi can read. Just then, Jonah bursts in the front door, singing along with the music in his headphones. She teases... (full context)

...she got a fever and “something in her brain just popped.” She tells Subhi about Jonah and her dad and finally introduces herself as Jimmie. (full context)

...to think. She knows the story by heart, but she forgot about it until now. Jonah always said the stories were silly. Jimmie said the same so she could sound cool,... (full context)

...one another when “everyone [is] just the same anyway.” When she gets home and sees Jonah’s phone, she has an idea. Jonah won’t notice it’s missing, so Jimmie pockets it. She’ll... (full context)

...house, the garden, her bedroom, and a bathroom. She pulls up pictures of her dad, Jonah, and trees Outside. Then, she pulls Subhi in so they can take a selfie. (full context)

...sweater her mum knitted him and sits, holding him and listening to her dad and Jonah sleeping downstairs. Closing her eyes, Jimmie imagines listening to her mum singing. When she opens... (full context)

...his last shift at his current job. He’ll be home in a few days, and Jonah will be here to look after her. Jimmie is distraught when her dad leaves, and... (full context)

...ladder. Then, she says she has to leave. Her dad will be back soon, and Jonah will bring a chocolate bar. Rather than answer if she’s okay, Jimmie says the crocodiles... (full context)

...they leave, a car drives up and a boy leaps out. The boy says he's Jonah. Subhi can see chocolate in Jonah’s hand and a bike in his car. Finally, the... (full context)