Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Dibs in Search of Self, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Therapy, Empathy, and Non-Judgment
Parental Expectations vs. Self-Determination
Trust and Security
Intelligence vs. Emotional and Social Skills
Summary
Analysis
Axline writes that Dibs was able to move out of the darkness of his life and let sunshine in. Life is more meaningful when it has darkness and sunshine, because out of disappointment and sadness, people can discover confidence, faith, and hope. Axline often presents part of this book to students and in professional meetings; one day, she received a letter from a former student in the army who heard another man talking about Dibs. The two men both agreed that Dibs taught them how to be a complete person, because Dibs only wanted what everyone wants: a chance to be loved, respected, and accepted for all of their qualities.
Here Axline expands on the lessons that Dibs learned and applies it to people in general. While children like Dibs may need extra help in discovering how to be themselves and developing their own security, all people find value in empathy, self-determination, confidence, love, and a balance between one’s social skills and intelligence.
Themes
Years later, a friend of Axline’s who teaches at a school for gifted boys shows her a letter in the school newspaper. Axline’s friend doesn’t know about Dibs, but he knows that Axline works with children and enjoys seeing evidence of their courage and capability. The letter is one of protest against the school’s decision to dismiss a student for cheating. The writer explains that the expelled student was simply verifying a date, and that it’s better to be curious and have honest doubt than to be ignorant. According to the writer, exams should not be used to bring “suffering and humiliation” to someone who is trying to succeed. The letter concludes that the educators must “unlock the door” of ignorance and prejudice. He says if his friend is not reinstated, he shall not return to school. It is signed “With sincerity and intent to act […] Dibs.” Axline asks what the boy is like. Her friend says Dibs is 15 years old, brilliant, full of ideas, and a leader who acts on the things he believes in.
Dibs’s letter shows how even fifteen-year-old Dibs maintains many of the values that Axline fostered in him. Dibs questions the idea of always having to live up to others’ expectations, suggesting that often rules only bring “suffering and humiliation.” This statement, coupled with Dibs’s comment about “unlock[ing] the door” of ignorance, recalls Dibs’s parents’ treatment of him. His response demonstrates his maturity in advocating for self-determination, acceptance, and empathy rather than harsh expectations. And the fact that Dibs writes the letter on behalf of a friend illustrates how his intelligence is truly able to shine when he uses his intellect alongside his social skills and emotional intelligence. His moral leadership and true brilliance could only come from this well-roundedness.
Themes
