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Chapter 9
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Tattooist of Auschwitz, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Survival and Morality
Faith, Love, and Optimism
Unity, Sacrifice, and Empathy
Knowledge, Uncertainty, and Power
Summary
Analysis
Lale learns that the term “Gypsy” is derogatory and that he should refer to his new blockmates as Romanies. The Romany people soon accept Lale into their lives, sharing stories about their past experiences and teaching him about their culture. In turn, Lale helps them pass the time by suggesting that they teach their children about their own history, something that will not only educate the little boys and girls, but will also keep the older women who teach them busy. Lale sits in on these lessons and he slowly grows closer to the Romany people, forming an especially close bond with an old woman named Nadya who lost her son and husband to typhus before coming to Birkenau. Nadya has a motherly presence that comforts Lale, so they often stay up late together and they talk about their lives—something that comforts Lale while also making him yearn for his family.
Lale is able to overcome his biases about the Romany people because of his tendency to empathize with and relate to others. Rather than writing them off based on what he thinks he knows about their culture, Lale listens to them and he forms meaningful relationships with people like Nadya. In doing so, he invests himself in their lives in a way that allows them to connect with one another. Once again, then, Lale demonstrates his power to relate with other people, and readers see that his capacity for empathy has a tangible benefit on his daily life. The relationships Lale establishes with the Romany people are enriching and fulfilling, ultimately bringing him happiness in an environment in which joy is hard to come by.
Themes
