Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Elatsoe, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Family and Friendship
Justice
Cultural Identity and Coming of Age
Colonialism and Monsters
Death, Grief, and Healing
Storytelling
Summary
Analysis
Ellie wakes up with Gregory in bed with her. She calls for Kirby and then yells for Vivian, who’s asleep on the sofa. Finally using Trevor’s name, Ellie says that he’s awake and that Gregory woke him. Vivian explains that a group is going to the burial site this morning, and they have Kirby to protect them for now. Ellie’s phone rings. It’s Jay and Ronnie, asking if Ellie has seen Al. They explain that friends of friends sent A1 to a bar in Austin. The bartender knew about Willowbee, and Al never came back from the bar. According to the bartender, Ronnie says, young vampires go to the Allerton mansion and don’t come back out.
Now that Trevor’s ghost is awake, all hell breaks loose. This helps highlight how dangerous human ghosts are, per Lipan teachings; Ellie now seems fully aware of how important those teachings are. The disturbing implication that Al has gone missing at the Allerton mansion shows that now, lots of people Ellie cares about are in danger. This may have begun as a family problem, but now, it encompasses more of Ellie’s community.
Themes
Ronnie is ready to crash the bicentennial ball at the mansion to save Al, but Ellie, remembering Trevor’s warning, says they can’t: Trevor’s ghost is going to murder everyone there tonight, as he’s haunting the Allerton mansion. They have to go there and free Al; Kirby can track him. Ronnie and Jay agree to meet Ellie at the Ring Transport Center in an hour. Vivian insists on coming too. When Ellie and Vivian reconvene after getting ready, Vivian is in a white suit. She says that they’ll all livestream, and they’ll leave if Kirby senses danger or if violence seems likely. Vivian says goodbye to Lenore, who seems happy—like Trevor visited her, too. As Vivian and Ellie drive, Vivian gets a text that Trevor’s body is missing.
The group getting ready to storm the mansion is diverse, as it comprises not just two generations of Ellie’s Lipan family, but also Jay, Ronnie, and Kirby. By pulling together and pooling their various strengths, they’ll hopefully be able to save Al and send Trevor back. Lenore, for her part, seems naively and selfishly happy that Trevor is back—her grief continues to blind her to the dangers that Trevor’s ghost poses to other people.
Themes
