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
Ed stumbles into his house. He relives the feeling of the gun in his hands and the sound of the abusive man falling to the ground. He remembers how the man gasped, shocked he was still alive. Ed had shot up at the sky. Ed left that man out on the mountain before driving back. Now, Ed sits on his front porch with his dog and watches the passersby, knowing no one else had to do what he did last night. He wonders again why he was chosen for this mission.
Ed’s decision not to kill the man shows his rejection of the violent brand of heroism for a more peaceful, redemptive option. Ed’s observation of the passersby as wholly different from him not only shows Ed’s desire to be exceptional, but also suggests that, in order to solve serious problems like abuse, even ordinary people like Ed must take extraordinary action.
Themes
The phone rings. With dread, Ed answers it, but it turns out the caller is Marv. Marv berates Ed again for missing the card game. Ed tells him to stop because he had to attempt murder last night. Once again, Marv does not take him seriously. Marv asks him if he is going to participate in the annual football game. Ed zones out until Marv hangs up. Ed stores his gun in his nightstand and falls asleep.
Once again, the narrative reminds the reader that although one must occasionally undertake extraordinary actions, like Ed did with the abusive man, even people who seem heroic still have ordinary concerns like friendships and sports.
Themes
Ed dreams about the abusive man, wondering what he is doing now. He wakes up and returns his cab to work before taking the Doorman for a walk. He feels paranoid, eventually realizing he is waiting for the next card to arrive. He walks to Marv’s place and sees Marv hanging out with other friends. He thinks about how none of these people will ever leave this town and he accepts this. He tells Marv he will play in the soccer game. Then he returns the Doorman to the house and goes to work. All the while, Ed feels numb, like he isn’t himself anymore.
Ed’s calm acceptance that Marv and his friends will never leave their town shows a shift in his perspective. Whereas before he believed an individual was defined by the quality of their community, performing extraordinary acts within his own community has shown Ed that one can choose to commit meaningful acts no matter where they are. Ed’s disassociation from himself also shows how committing caring acts transforms one’s identity.
Themes
The next day, Ed sits in the park with the Doorman. He runs into Sophie, who tells him that she misses him. Ed says he misses her too. But Ed knows he misses the honesty and purity she represents. He asks her if she is still running barefoot. She says yes. Finally, Sophie begins to leave. Before she does, however, she asks Ed if he’s okay. Ed says he’s waiting for the next card and he’s not ready for it, but he’ll receive the card anyway. Sophie leaves and Ed decides to head back home.
Ed’s recognition of how Sophie’s honest spirit inspires him shows how by choosing to perform caring acts, one can learn to see the beauty present in their community. Ed’s acceptance that he will receive the next card whether he is ready or not also reminds the reader that one cannot choose what fate gives them, but instead must accept and work with whatever they receive.
Themes
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