Previous
Chapter 39
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Knife of Never Letting Go, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Cost of Violence
Information vs. Knowledge
Bigotry and Misogyny
Humanity’s Connection to Nature
Summary
Analysis
Todd figures that, although he’s close, Aaron hasn’t seen Todd and Viola yet. The two of them plan to run all the way to Haven, sticking to the trees where possible, but it’s not long before they hear Aaron shout out Todd’s name. Aaron fires one shot, and they keep running. After a second shot, Viola falls. Todd fears the worst and chases after her, but she says she just tripped. They keep running.
Todd and Viola attempt to outrun Aaron, which is in many ways also Todd’s attempt to outrun his past and the violent, religious place that he came from. The two of them keep running even after falling, showing their determination to keep going.
Themes
Todd and Viola hide in some foliage and know they’ll be vulnerable if they go out in the open, so after considering a few options, they make for a ledge behind a waterfall that will disguise Todd’s Noise and hopefully let them hide from Aaron. They have to jump over a gap in the ledge, but they each manage to leap across, and all of a sudden, the waterfall makes Aaron sound far away.
Todd and Viola try to use the environment to their advantage against Aaron, who, by killing Manchee and by leading a war against the Spackle, shows how little he cares for non-human creatures and the environment.
Themes
Todd and Viola explore the area behind the waterfall and find that it opens up into a full cavern. Inside the cavern is what seems to be a church, with pews carved out of stone and a pulpit positioned so that water flows down behind it. The church looks abandoned, although some recent graffiti carvings suggest that kids might be sneaking out to it. Past the pews is nothing but a long drop down.
The church in the waterfall suggests that earlier settlers were more attuned to nature, making it a part of their worship instead of just trying to dominate nature as Aaron does. The long drop in the cavern foreshadows danger and suggests that perhaps this church isn’t the sanctuary that Todd and Viola are hoping for.
Themes
Todd and Viola decide to wait in the church until nightfall to try to sneak out. They can still barely hear a distant Aaron calling out Todd’s name. Viola wonders what Aaron even wants with them, and Todd remembers the sacrifice Aaron was trying to complete earlier. Viola says she thinks, based on Aaron’s Noise, that maybe she wasn’t the real sacrifice after all, that maybe Aaron was always intending to do something else.
Even in the waterfall, Todd can’t fully escape Aaron’s voice, showing how he can’t fully escape his past and the violent temptations that Aaron represents. Once again, Viola’s distance and outsider status on the New World helps her recognize things that Todd can’t, like the fact that Aaron’s whole plan about a ritual might be a ruse for some larger purpose.
Themes
Get the entire The Knife of Never Letting Go LitChart as a printable PDF.
Aaron’s voice begins to get louder, so Todd grabs his knife. Todd thinks of how painful it would be to lose Viola, and all of a sudden, he realizes what it is that Aaron really wants. He tells Viola to hide behind one of the pews. Viola warns Todd that he needs to hide too, but Todd says he’s going to stand tall and greet Aaron like a man. Viola decides that in that case, she won’t hide either. Todd shouts out Aaron’s name and waits for him to arrive.
Once again, Todd has to make a decision without knowing what the consequences will be. Although Todd made a mistake earlier when he gave into the urge to stab the Spackle, his decision to stand and fight here bears more resemblance what Cillian did in Prentisstown. Todd shows that he doesn’t want to run from his past anymore and he’s ready to confront it, whatever the outcome.
Themes
