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Chapter 2
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in I Must Betray You, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Deception, Betrayal, and Survival
Loss of Innocence
Freedom and American Influence
Hope and Resilience
Summary
Analysis
The Secu, whom Cristian calls Paddle Hands because of his enormous hands, accuses Cristian of speaking with a foreigner and accepting foreign currency, which are both illegal acts in Romania. Cristian knows exactly what Paddle Hands is talking about, though it occurred two months ago. Cristian gave a stamp from his stamp collection to Dan Van Dorn, the son U.S. diplomat Nick Van Dorn. Cristian interacted with the boy because Cristian’s mother cleans the Van Dorn home. He explains all this to Paddle Hands, and he also claims the diplomat’s son slipped him the dollar without him noticing.
From an outsider’s perspective, Cristian’s transgression appears entirely inconsequential. However, as Paddle Hands’s presence suggests, it is a grave error on Cristian’s part. The Romanian government does not want outsiders to know what is going on in Romania, and they do not want Romanians to know what is occurring outside of Romania. As such, interactions between foreigners and Romanians were illegal, except under specific circumstances (like Cristian’s mother’s job, for instance).
Active
Themes
Seeing that Cristian is frightened, Paddle Hands offers to make him a deal. He wants Cristian to continue speaking with Dan and serve as a spy for Romania. When Cristian hesitates, Paddle Hands asks him how his Bunu (grandfather) is doing. Cristian realizes that Paddle Hands is issuing a veiled threat and agrees to spy on the diplomat’s son. He thinks about Bunu, who has leukemia and is suffering greatly. Paddle Hands promises to give Cristian medicine for Bunu in return for information on the Van Dorns. As a result, at just 17 years old, Cristian becomes an informer under the codename “Oscar.”
Active
Themes
