Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Same Kind of Different as Me, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Slavery and Racism
Homelessness
Reconciliation
Christian Faith
Charity, Love, and Ego
Summary
Analysis
Denver continues his narration. When Deborah does not show up for Bible Study that week, Mary Ellen tells Denver about Deborah’s cancer. Denver’s first thought is that God will heal her, but then he realizes that God might not. Fear takes over Denver’s heart, and he thinks about all the other people he has loved and lost—finally he has opened up and loved someone again, and now they might be taken from him as well. The homeless people at the mission begin praying constantly for Deborah, and Denver and Chef Jim grow close in the midst of the fear and sadness.
The anguish that Denver experiences is twofold, since Deborah and Ron have finally convinced him to relinquish his hard outer shell and risk loving someone again, and once again it seems Denver may lose someone he loves. Denver’s tragedy underscores the risk that comes with loving another person, though it is a risk that Deborah first accepted in her willingness to love Denver.
Themes
