Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in I Am the Messenger, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Circumstance vs. Choice
Heroism, Sainthood, and Ordinariness
Purpose, Success, and Meaning
Hope, Caring, and Beauty
Summary
Analysis
One evening, Ed is playing cards with his friends over at his house. He is thinking about how, earlier that day, he visited the address 114 Glory Road, which he discovered in the book. At the house, he witnessed a family of Polynesian descent led by a father even larger than the abusive man from the first card. However, the man on Glory Road is incredibly kind and affectionate to both his wife and his kids. The houses on the street are all old and cheap. So far, Ed has no idea what this family needs from him.
The kindness of the father on Glory Road shows both Ed and the reader that while there may be horribly abusive members of society, there are also incredibly loving individuals present. This also suggests that external factors such as poverty do not necessarily impact how one cares for other people.
Themes
Marv smugly wins the card game. He starts talking about the upcoming Christmas game and wonders whose turn it is to host it. Ed and his friends all know it’s Marv’s turn, but he won’t host because he is too cheap. Ed reminds Marv that he has more than enough money saved, but Marv says what he spends his money on is his business alone. Ed volunteers to host the Christmas game, if Marv gives the Doorman a kiss for Christmas. Marv reluctantly agrees.
Marv’s avoidance of spending shows how even when one achieves a traditional marker of success, such as saving a lot of money, they may not utilize that success in the way others expect them to. Marv’s attitude also suggests that amassing a large amount of money may lead one to selfishly guarding that fortune, though the reader will later learn that Marv has other motivations.
Themes
Ed continues to return to Glory Road. Although he can tell the family lives paycheck to paycheck, he still cannot tell what exactly they need. One night, Ed is hiding in the bushes when the father of the family comes out and confronts him. The father asks Ed why he is always watching the family. Ed lies and says he used to live in the house and since his dad recently died, he enjoys seeing the man spend time with his kids. This makes the father warm up to Ed and invite him inside for dinner.
Ed’s lie shows that the use of seemingly morally wrong acts such as lying can be justified for the purpose of helping others. Of course, Ed’s dad really did die recently, which suggests that there is truth in this lie and that Ed really does enjoy watching the man with his kids.
Themes
The father introduces himself as Lua Tatupu. He takes Ed inside and introduces him to his wife, Marie, and their five children. They all eat dinner together, while Lua jokes around with the kids. Ed can tell that although the parents are happy, they are very tired. After dinner, Ed gives the children piggyback rides. The youngest child, Jessie, tells Ed that Lua is going to hang up the Christmas lights soon. Maria invites Ed back for dinner anytime.
The generosity of the family toward a stranger, despite their apparent poverty and the parents’ tiredness, shows how individuals can overcome outside factors in order to be kind to others. The harmony of this family contrasts with the disharmony of Ed’s own family, which again shows that people don’t have to let adversity have a negative impact on their family relationships.
Themes
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That weekend, Ed passes by Lua’s house and sees the Christmas lights hung up. The lights are old and faded, with many missing. Only half of them light up. Ed knows there’s a small job he can do for this family that will make a big difference. He buys a new set of lights and leaves them on the front porch of the house.
