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Chapter 21
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Winter’s Bone, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Silence and Secrets
Family, Destiny, and Inheritance
Violence and Decay
Isolation and Independence
Women and Matriarchy
Summary
Analysis
After dark, Floyd arrives at the house with Ned. Gail nurses Ned while Floyd pleads with her to come home. Gail tells him that things have to change, and Floyd agrees. She tells him that he needs to stop seeing Heather, but at that Floyd says nothing. He lights a cigarette and goes outside. He returns after a moment with Ned’s diaper bag, drops it inside the house, and leaves. Ree reassures Gail that Floyd will come back, and Gail asks Ree if she noticed that “at least” Floyd didn’t try to lie to her “this time.”
Floyd attempts to restore his family to normalcy, but is unwilling to make the sacrifice that his wife demands in order to fulfill his own desire. He leaves Gail essentially on her own, unable to swallow his own pride and admit any wrongdoing.
Themes
