Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Refugee, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Trauma and Coming of Age
Injustice and Cruelty vs. Empathy and Social Responsibility
Hope vs. Despair
Family, Displacement, and Culture
Invisibility and the Refugee Experience
Summary
Analysis
In the days following Aaron’s suicide attempt, many other passengers on the St. Louis tell Josef how sorry they are about what happened and try to comfort him, but he’s not sure how things can ever be all right again. Meanwhile, the sea around them is littered with motorboats and rowboats: reporters, relatives of the people on board, and thanks to Aaron, a handful of Cuban police boats to prevent others from jumping and swimming to shore.
Even though Aaron still lives, his suicide attempt shows not only his own inner despair but the trauma that this event causes for Josef. For Aaron, it represents a metaphorical death, as he disappears into the water and subsequently out of Josef’s life.
Themes
One of the police boats pulls up to the St. Louis, carrying Mariano Padron, the officer who had saved Aaron. The passengers greet and cheer him as he boards, and give him a gift of 150 reichsmarks collected from the grateful passengers. Padron thanks them profusely for the money.
Even amongst people who have lost everything, they still have empathy toward this man who showed the same courtesy to a fellow Jewish person. Just as when Isabel gave some of her paltry food to the cat, Gratz shows here how even the most destitute people can still give something—thus, those with more than that should be able to provide any aid they can, too.
Themes
Josef, Rachel, and Ruthie go to talk to Padron. Rachel asks how Aaron is. Padron says through an interpreter that Aaron is alive, but has been sedated. Padron says that he will live. Rachel thanks Padron profusely for what he had done. Padron then spots Ruthie and begins to play with her, having her chase him as though he is a criminal and she is a cop. Josef notes that Rachel is smiling for the first time in weeks.
Josef again shows his passage into adulthood, as he notices and worries about his mother’s mental condition. Yet this episode also shows how Ruthie has been able to retain some of her innocence and childhood as she plays, which only showcases Josef’s comparative maturity when he refuses.
Themes
After letting Ruthie catch him, Padron turns to Josef and says that it’s his turn. Josef tries to wave him off, saying he’s too old to play, but Padron insists. Padron suggests that he will be the passenger, and asks Josef in mock anger when he can leave the ship. He immediately realizes his mistake, and becomes anguished at having brought up the fact that they are not able to leave the ship. Josef and Padron then say at the same time: “Mañana.”
The officer’s refrain of mañana again highlights the increasing despair of the passengers on board, as the word “tomorrow” becomes less a beacon of hope and more a promise unfulfilled.
Themes
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