Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Brief History of Seven Killings, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Violence vs. Peace
Masculinity, Sexuality, and Homophobia
Jamaican Culture and Identity
Politics, Power, and Corruption
Witness and Storytelling
Summary
Analysis
Weeper wakes up in Brooklyn next to a blond man. Three weeks ago they were walking together when a black man on the street remarked: “Scope this ill faggot-ass bullshit.” Weeper beat the man and he and the white boy ran away laughing together. When they first had sex, the white boy asked if Weeper was worried about “the gay cancer,” and Weeper said he wasn’t. Yesterday Weeper went to the Strand looking for books by Bertrand Russell. He told the man “I love you,” but then added “I don’t mean that.” Weeper has mixed feelings about his own sexual desire, and still finds himself holding back from what he really wants. Yet he can’t even remember what it feels like to have sex with a woman.
Weeper is still struggling with his sexuality, but is conducting his life with a greater degree of freedom than he ever did back in Jamaica. He does this despite the threat of AIDS, which he takes less seriously than the judgment of other people. Indeed, Weeper has lived through more trauma than most people can imagine, and committed extreme acts of violence––yet he is still frightened by his own desire.
Themes
Weeper has to go to the airport; in nine hours Josey is landing on a plane from Jamaica. Josey is coming to see a particular crack house in Brooklyn so he can scope out the people selling in it and report back to Medellín. A member of Storm Posse recently caught Weeper up on the latest events in Jamaica. Josey and his men shot up a street in Rema, killing 12 people. There was little action from the police, as “nobody can touch the don.” An old friend of Josey’s based in the Bronx has been selling drugs in New York since 1977, and is now running an enormous operation.
Once again a significant amount of time has passed, but life in Jamaica remains much the same. On the other hand, the lives of Josey and Weeper have changed significantly, due to the fact that they are now international drug dealers. Josey is now even more untouchable than he was before––at least within Jamaica. There is an atmosphere of suspense surrounding his imminent arrival to the US.
Themes
