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Book 5, Chapter 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Return of the Native, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humans vs. Nature
Modernity vs. Tradition
Class and Morality
Deception
Summary
Analysis
Eustacia heads to her grandfather’s place, completely lost. When she arrives, she finds Charley, who is visibly concerned for her safety. However, she refuses to tell Charley what happened. Eustacia heads inside and sees her grandfather’s guns. She looks at them and contemplates suicide. Noticing this, Charley takes them down from the wall and puts them somewhere that Eustacia cannot find them. When Eustacia asks him to fetch her the guns, he tells her, “I care too much for you to give ‘em up.” Eustacia is angry at Charley for not allowing her to end her own life, but she eventually calms down and tells him that she is no longer suicidal.
All of Eustacia’s hopes and dreams have failed, and so she considers ending her own life. However, despite her poor treatment of him, Charley is determined to make sure that nothing happens to Eustacia. Even though Eustacia hates the heath, many of its residents are kind to her, with Charley being the primary example.
Themes
