Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Left to Tell, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Faith, and Miracles
Love vs. Prejudice
Forgiveness and Redemption
Good vs. Evil
Education, Discipline, and Growth
Summary
Analysis
In the preface, Immaculée Ilibagiza writes that the following book is not meant to be a comprehensive or objective history of the Rwandan genocide, but rather a highly personal narrative. It is a true story, and she uses her own name and the names of her family. However, she changed others’ names to protect their safety. Immaculée concludes by saying that she hopes readers “benefit” from her story.
The preface establishes that while “Left to Tell” is a nonfiction book that tells a true story, it is also a subjective, personal narrative. Immaculée hopes to teach and benefit others not necessarily through “hard” facts, but through her own emotional and spiritual journey.
Themes
