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Chapter 2
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Everything Is Tuberculosis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Science and Injustice
History’s Influence on the Modern Day
Family and Community
Stigmatization and Dehumanization
Nuance, Empathy, and Understanding
Summary
Analysis
Green makes clear that, though Sierra Leone is often thought to be a poor country, it is quite rich in metal ores and diamonds, which the British exploited during their colonial rule. Because the economy was so heavily based on extraction, it struggled to transition when the country gained independence. Partially, this is because the country’s infrastructure, such as its railroads, are built not to connect people but to connect exports to the coast. Any other resources created during the British rule, like schools or clinics, were built only to benefit the English, not Sierra Leoneans. As Green puts it, “colonial infrastructure was not built to strengthen communities; it was built to deplete them.”
Here, Green begins to explore the historical circumstances that have led to Sierra Leone’s current poverty. He shifts blame for the country’s current economic status from Sierra Leone to the colonial powers that founded its weak infrastructure; in doing so, he emphasizes how many low- and middle-income countries are passive victims of historical forces.
Active
Themes
Even before Sierra Leone was formally colonized, Britain caused the country great harm due to destructive English merchants in the late 16th century and the transatlantic slave trade of the 18th and 19th centuries. Following the emancipation of enslaved people, many were relocated to Freetown, a town in Sierra Leone made specifically to house formerly enslaved people, no matter their country of origin. This community developed its own language, known as Krio, which is the lingua franca of Sierra Leone and is heavily based in English. Henry’s father was a Krio, which likely means his ancestors were once enslaved in the U.S..
Once again, Green illuminates the historical forces that caused Sierra Leone’s poverty. In this case, he examines the transatlantic slave trade, which not only impacted the country’s economy but its geography and linguistics as well, as it led to the development of Freetown and Krio. Every aspect of Sierra Leonean culture is informed by its past as a colonized state, showing how the modern day is still influenced by the past.
Active
Themes
While many Sierra Leoneans are poor, there is also much diversity in the country; any kind of simplification or generalization of its population is unfair. Those who do face poverty, such as Isatu and Henry, largely do so because of external factors. Isatu describes her childhood as incredibly happy, made rich thanks to her community, but times became worse when a civil war began in 1991. Isatu moved to Freetown, where she became pregnant with Henry, but was forced to leave after it was overtaken by rebels. She safely gave birth to Henry and his younger sister Favor. This responsibility stopped her from pursuing higher education, even after the civil war ended, so she sold goods in a market from then on.
Active
Themes
