Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sarah’s Key, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Remembrance and History
The Power of Silence
Guilt
Identity
Bravery
The Limits of Love
Summary
Analysis
Back in 2002, Julia, Zoë, and Antoine begin a tour of Mamé’s old apartment. Julia tells Antoine that it was Bertrand’s idea to renovate the place, and that she would have preferred to move somewhere newer. Julia then privately recalls meeting Mamé for the first time in this very apartment.
As she learns more about the apartment’s history, Julia’s reluctance to live in a place that holds such dark memories will only grow. This chapter also introduces the fact that Julia’s relationship to her husband’s extended family is strained at best.
Themes
