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Book 5, Chapter 5
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
As Eustacia schemes to escape Egdon Heath once and for all, Clym attempts to sort out the truth. He doesn’t think that Eustacia is guilty of all he accused her of, and he starts to feel ashamed of how he acted. He wants to make things right but isn’t sure how, so he decides to visit Thomasin and ask her for advice. Thomasin is surprised to learn what’s happened between Eustacia and Clym. She tells Clym that he must fix things right away and suggests writing Thomasin a letter. Clym and Thomasin switch the topic of conversation to Thomasin’s life. Thomasin complains that Wildeve is not present in her life.
Throughout The Return of the Native, characters tend to spend too much time deliberating and talking to anyone and everyone except the person they should be talking to. Though Thomasin gives Clym helpful advice, he should really be speaking to Eustacia—and his time to do so is quickly running out.
Themes
Clym goes home and writes to Eustacia. His letter is partially an apology, though it is clear that he still places a significant amount of blame on her for his mother’s death. Nonetheless, Clym promises to forgive her and tells her, “Our love must still continue.” Meanwhile, Wildeve arrives home, where Thomasin promptly questions him regarding his whereabouts. Wildeve refuses to answer her questions, though, so Thomasin decides to question him directly about Eustacia. Wildeve bristles at the mention of Eustacia’s name and tells Thomasin that he doesn’t want to talk about her.
It is hard to imagine that Clym’s ambivalent letter will do much to cheer up Eustacia, though it is at least an attempt to save their failing marriage. Meanwhile, it is clear that Wildeve has just returned from meeting with Eustacia, and he does a poor job of hiding it from Thomasin.
Themes
