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Part Five
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Klara and the Sun, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Meaning of Love
Costs and Benefits of Progress
Faith and Hope
Environmentalism
Summary
Analysis
Klara believes the Sun helped Josie just as it helped Beggar Man. Seasons and years go by. Josie does well with tutorials and she and the Mother often argue about college, particularly since Rick is no longer interested in Atlas Brookings.
Although Part Five ends on a miraculous note, Part Six almost immediately returns to a more realistic tone, with Rick not getting his acceptance to Atlas Brookings.
Active
Themes
Josie begins to go away on trips with other young adults, which are considered an important part of her college preparation. Rick still comes over, but less often, particularly as he gets involved with his own projects, including a used car he buys.
As Josie and Rick approach college age, the difference in privilege between them becomes more apparent. Josie’s new friends are richer and can afford trips, whereas Rick gets involved with used cars, suggesting that rather than going to college to get a white-collar job, he is on track to start a blue-collar job (like, say, as a mechanic).
Active
Themes
The last time Klara sees Rick is when she goes out to greet him after hearing his car. Rick says that, thinking back, he remembers the morning when the Sun came into Josie’s room and how it seemed like that was the moment she started feeling better. At the time, he thought Klara’s actions in the barn were all AF superstition, but now he wonders if there was something more. Klara says her actions in the barn involved such a special favor that she still doesn’t want to discuss them.
Active
Themes
Klara does mention, however, that she’s worried. She told the Sun that Josie and Rick’s love was real and forever, but it seems that they’re preparing for different futures. Rick says their love wasn’t a lie then and—in some ways—still isn’t a lie. He says he’ll always be searching for someone like the Josie he once knew.
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Rick asks about Melania Housekeeper, and Klara mentions she was trying to get accepted by a community in California. He then asks if Klara will be all right after Josie goes to college. She says the Mother is always kind to her. Rick says he is also always there if Klara ever needs him.
Active
Themes
More young adults come to visit Josie, now in their own cars (or hired cars) without parents. When they come, Klara gets out of the way and goes to the Utility Room. When Josie finds out Klara has been spending so much time in the room, she arranges a way for Klara to stand on a plastic crate to see out to the Sun.
Active
Themes
Like Josie, the Mother also has less to do with Klara. One day, she is surprised to walk in on the Mother talking with Mr. Capaldi. Mr. Capaldi says he has some things he wants to say to Klara.
Active
Themes
Mr. Capaldi says that lots of people are afraid of AFs at the moment because they believe they’re too smart. He believes people might be less afraid if they better understood how AFs work. Klara says she might be willing to help, as long as it won’t cause problems for Josie or the Mother. He wants to take Klara apart so that people can see her inner workings.
Active
Themes
The Mother interrupts to say this isn’t what she and Mr. Capaldi discussed on the phone. She says she believes Klara deserves her “slow fade.” She refuses to let Klara even consider Mr. Capaldi’s offer. Mr. Capaldi wonders if it’s because the Mother is still mad at him, even though she originally approached him first.
The days before Josie leaves for college are hectic, particularly because the new housekeeper is less orderly than Melania Housekeeper was. At one point, Josie invites Klara to come to her bedroom. Josie says she’s afraid of going away to school, but she doesn’t want to let fear get in the way. She makes a reference to seeing Klara at Christmas, but only if Klara is still there. Klara has noticed several references to her own departure.
Active
Themes
Josie had hoped Rick would be there to say goodbye, but Rick is miles away with his drones and his new friends. Josie hugs Klara for a long time and then tells her that if she never sees Klara again, Klara was great. Klara thanks Josie for choosing her.
Active
Themes
Klara’s memories begin to blur together, although she believes she can always put the memories back in order whenever she wants to. She is no longer at Josie’s house and now has a special place in a new area called the Yard, where the only tall object she can see is a construction crane in the distance.
Active
Themes
Literary Devices
Sometimes visitors come to the Yard and Klara hears human voices, but mostly it’s just yardmen who work there. One of the yardmen offers to move Klara to a spot where there’s three other AFs, but Klara likes her current special spot. Klara can no longer move, although she can turn her head.
One day, Klara is surprised to recognize Manager in the yard. Manager is glad to see Klara and says that she has been looking for her in the Yard for a while. Klara says she’s glad to see Manager. Manager asks if Klara was with the same family the whole time, and Klara confirms she was.
Active
Themes
Manager says she no longer looks after AFs, but she likes to come to the Yard and other places, both to see former AFs and to collect little souvenirs. Klara asks about Rosa. Manager says she saw Rosa two years ago and learned that things didn’t work out so well for her, but she doesn’t want to say more.
Active
Themes
Manager asks about the family Klara went to. Klara says her home was the best home and Josie was the best teenager. She says she would’ve “continued” Josie if necessary but that things turned out for the best, even if Rick and Josie aren’t together.
Active
Themes
Manager asks what “continuing” Josie means. Klara explains how Mr. Capaldi believed there was nothing special inside Josie and that an AF like Klara could have become her. Klara, however, now believes he was wrong and that there was something special—not inside Josie but inside the people who loved her.
Active
Themes
Manager asks if Klara would like to be moved over to be near some B3s in the Yard. Klara says she’d prefer to be alone to put her memories in order. Manager admits that, despite the B3s’ technical advances, Manager never liked them as much, and customers seemed to feel the same way.
Active
Themes
Before Manager goes, Klara says she must let Manager know that there was an incident in Josie’s home where the Sun showed particular kindness. Manager says she’s sure the Sun was always kind to Klara. They say goodbye, and Klara thanks Manager one last time. As Manager walks away, she moves less steadily than she used to in the store. She stops in the mid-distance, and Klara thinks she might turn around, but she just looks up at the crane, then continues to walk away.
