Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Ghost, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Running and Trauma
Poverty
Friendship
Arrogance and Humility
Summary
Analysis
The Chinese restaurant is fairly close to Sunny’s house, so Ghost does not have to be crushed in the back of the car for too long. Once everyone is seated in the restaurant, Coach Brody tells them they can get anything they want. This is great news for Ghost, who has been surviving on hospital leftovers during weekdays for longer than he can remember. When the waitress comes, Ghost orders Peking duck with a lemonade. Sunny gets the same thing with a sparkling water, which makes Coach Brody think he may have made a mistake by giving everyone free rein of the menu.
Although it may seem like a small courtesy, Coach Brody’s willingness to pay for dinner feels like a huge luxury to Ghost, who rarely experiences going out to eat. While Ghost orders the Peking duck because he thinks it sounds good, Sunny gets it—along with a sparkling water—presumably because he is familiar with it. Sunny’s familiarity with the food is an indication of his class status, where eating duck—a relatively expensive meat—is a regular occurrence.
Themes
While everyone waits for their food, Coach Brody tells them stories and information about the other members of their team. His stories help round out the personalities of everyone on the team by providing a sense of their respective backgrounds. When the food comes, Ghost makes a mental note that he should save some to bring home to his mother. Before anyone can dig in, Coach Brody grabs their utensils and tells them they are not allowed to eat until they share something interesting about themselves.
Here, Coach Brody plays a role similar to the one he played after picking Ghost up from school. Although he remains an authority figure, he also wants to develop friendships with his athletes, while also encouraging bonds between them. Meanwhile, Ghost’s decision to save some food for his mother again demonstrates that, while he can sometimes be selfish, his love and concern for his mother is unwavering.
Themes
Lu goes first. He says that he always wanted a brother but will never have one because his mother cannot have any more children. In particular, he wants a brother because he wants to see what he would look like if he was not albino. After Lu shares, everyone goes quiet for a moment. Ghost thinks about how he, too, would like a brother. Then, Coach Brody gives Lu his utensils back and tells him he can start eating.
Lu decides to share something that is perhaps significantly deeper than what Coach Brody had in mind, and he sets the mood for the rest of the table. Lu’s courage is admirable, as he shows vulnerability without appearing especially self-conscious. It is a moment that makes Ghost, and the rest of the rookies, feel connected to Lu—and Ghost also finds that he and Lu have something else in common, as they both want a brother.
Themes
Next, Sunny tells everyone that his biological mother passed away while giving birth to him. Sunny’s father told him it was always his mother’s dream to win a marathon, so he made Sunny take up running in his mother’s absence. Ghost asks if Sunny feels like his father is punishing him. Sunny gets pale and responds, “I guess.”
Although Ghost’s question may seem slightly callous, it is in the spirit of having an open and honest dialogue with Sunny. Ghost realizes that, although Sunny has a lot of money, he struggles with many of the same issues that Ghost experiences, including being raised by a single parent.
Themes
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Patty goes next and tells everyone she is adopted, which everyone already knows. However, unlike most adopted kids, Patty knows her birth mother and visits her regularly. Lu asks why Patty’s birth mother gave her up. Coach Brody chides him for asking an inappropriate question, but Patty says it is okay. She tells everyone that her birth mother lost her legs to diabetes. Although she can still take care of herself, she did not feel that she would have been able to care for Patty as well. Sunny asks if Patty’s birth mother is the reason she runs, and Patty confirms that is the case.
Lu, like Ghost, lacks tact, but his question similarly comes from a place of curiosity rather than provocation. Like everyone else, Patty is open and honest about her life, which brings everyone closer together. Additionally, like Ghost and Sunny, running directly connects to a tragic element of Patty’s life. The more people talk, the more Ghost realizes that everyone struggles with similar issues.
Themes
The only person left to say something is Ghost, who considers discussing the stolen shoes, but feels that would be a bad idea. After a moment of contemplation, Ghost tells everyone that his father is in jail for shooting at him and his mother. Everyone’s mouth goes wide—no one asks Ghost to elaborate. Although he was not sure how it would go over, Ghost is glad to have his secret out in the open. Coach Brody hands Ghost his utensils, so he can finally start eating.
Although everyone else shares difficult and painful memories, Ghost’s story is the most shocking. Even though Ghost does not elaborate on it, getting it off his chest and sharing the story with other people is a big step in his maturation process. Now that he has said what happened out loud, he can begin to come to terms with it.
Themes
As he eats, Ghost tells Coach Brody it is his turn to tell a secret. At first, Coach Brody resists, but gives in after all the other rookies insist that it is only fair. Coach Brody says that he ran in the Olympics and won a gold medal. For the rest of the dinner, Ghost and his new teammates discuss what it would be like to run in the Olympics. Ghost has a great time; he is glad to have his secret off his chest, and he feels like he has a new group of people he can trust and confide in.
Although Coach Brody gives in and shares a secret with the rookies, there is a sense that he is leaving out a lot of details, which the rookies do not notice because they distract themselves with dreams of running in the Olympics. By the end of the dinner, the other rookies become Ghost’s best friends, which speaks to the success of Coach Brody’s tradition.
Themes
