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Rufus, 1:18 a.m.
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in They Both Die at the End, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Mortality, Life, and Meaning
Human Connection and Social Media
Choices and Consequences
Friendship and Chosen Family
Business, Ethics, and Dehumanization
Summary
Analysis
CountDowners is depressing, but Mateo thinks that he has to pay attention. It’s his responsibility to be here for others, even if he’s not going to leave the house. He browses through local streams and randomly selects a Decker who’s already out at a bar. Another Decker isn’t sure his daughter is going to get to him in time. Mateo knows he has to visit Dad. He sits on Dad’s bed and grabs the framed photo of him and Dad blowing out the candles on his sixth birthday cake; Mateo thinks that Dad is one of his best friends. He pulls the photo out of the frame, puts it in his pocket, and gets ready to go. When Mateo sees the dirty dishes in the sink, though, he washes them. He swears it’s not an excuse to stay in.
Though social media may be a crutch for Mateo, it’s still extremely meaningful—it’s how he shows others that he’s there and that he cares. Again, it might not be a substitute for in-person connections, but it’s not entirely useless either. Grabbing the photo not only allows Mateo to relive this memory; it also allows him to think about how he wants Dad to see him. He can make the choice to behave in a way that causes Dad to see him like this, as a happy kid, instead of the anxiety-ridden teen he’s grown up to be.
Themes
