Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Bronze Bow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love vs. Vengeance
Trust, Dependence, and Friendship
Leadership: Power vs. Service
Earthly Hopes vs. Heavenly Values
Summary
Analysis
One day, a restless young man comes into Daniel’s shop to get his scythe mended. Daniel seldom talks to customers, but he’s curious about the pacing boy and asks him about his black eye. The boy finally admits that a group of his friends jumped him last night. They did it because the boy’s father has gone to work for Shomer the tax collector.
It was considered shameful for a Jew to work for a Roman tax collector; it was seen as making oneself complicit in the Romans’ exploitation of the Jews.
Themes
The boy goes on to explain that his father couldn’t earn enough money to pay his taxes after years of poor harvests, and he refused to sell his daughter. So he was forced to make a living by collecting taxes instead, though he would never take a coin for himself. Daniel feels embarrassed for the boy. But after he finishes the job, he offers to walk the boy—Nathan—home, just in case his friends are lying in wait again. He has an axhead to deliver anyway.
Daniel himself was essentially sold to Amalek and enslaved by him as an apprentice. The implication is that the boy’s sister would have been sold into a sexually exploitative situation. Daniel’s tactful kindness shows that he’s learned, probably from Simon, the importance of helping others without shaming them.
Themes
Soon, as Daniel walks Nathan home, a half dozen boys rush out of the darkness to attack them. Daniel finds joy in beating them back, with capable help from Nathan. The attackers quickly scatter, recognizing him as the blacksmith. Once that’s done, Daniel invites Nathan to put his fighting skill to better use. He tells him about the Zealots.
Though Daniel is finding his place within village life, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss aspects of his life on the mountain. And Nathan presents an opportunity for Daniel: bringing part of the mountain down to the village.
Themes
A few days later, Joel shows up in the shop; Simon told him where to find Daniel. He brings a proud-looking, clearly wealthy friend named Kemuel. Daniel quickly finds that Kemuel is spirited and serious about fighting the Romans. When Nathan drops by, the four hold a meeting on the spur of the moment, and they agree to meet here weekly. Nathan offers to bring more recruits. Daniel warns that they won’t be able to fight immediately. He remembers Rosh’s words about getting strong enough before fighting. He wants only committed, trustworthy boys to join.
As Daniel begins to gather recruits, he looks to Rosh for leadership tactics. Some of these are wise, like not jumping into the fight too early. It remains to be seen whether Rosh’s influence will be enough to sustain Daniel as he takes on his own leadership role.
Themes
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Before the boys can begin quarreling about the best way to proceed, Joel jumps in to suggest the symbol of the bronze bow: it can be their password. Within a few weeks, 16 young men have joined. They identify themselves to one another by asking, “Did you ever see a bow made of bronze?” By the time 21 boys have gathered, Joel becomes eager to tell Rosh about the new band. Daniel knows that will be a proud moment. It might even lead to Rosh being recognized as the messiah by the people.
The image of the bronze bow comes to symbolize more than just Daniel’s small group of friends. The movement to fight for God’s kingdom is bigger than that. For the time being, however, Daniel still associates the fight with Rosh. He assumes that Rosh is the one who will end up leading Israel to freedom from Rome.
Themes
One day, the Roman soldier shows up at Daniel’s smithy again. This time he needs his horse’s stirrup mended. Daniel works anxiously, afraid the soldier will notice some sign of the rebel meeting. Over the coming weeks, the soldier keeps coming back with random jobs, sometimes making a silly excuse. Sometimes he just rides his horse past the shop. Daniel realizes his group needs a new meeting place. One of the recruits offers an abandoned watchtower in his father’s cucumber field. Soon the soldier stops coming, but Daniel still feels uneasy.
Daniel fears that the Roman soldier will catch onto his rebellious activities. Later on, it will become clear that the soldier is interested in something very different, and that there’s more going on in Daniel’s home than he knows.
Themes
