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Chapter 20
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Midnight Library, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Regret, Depression, and Suicide
Philosophy and the Meaning of Life
Possibility and Perseverance
Embracing Imperfection
Summary
Analysis
As it turns out, the spotter’s job is to watch out for polar bears while the rest of the team conducts their research nearby. If Nora sees a polar bear approaching the site on the small island, she must fire a flare, make loud noises to hopefully scare the creature away, and defend herself with the rifle if necessary. As the rest of the team walks off, Nora begins pacing the snow in circles to keep as warm as possible. She wishes she had chosen a more physically comfortable life, but she soon remembers her readings of Henry David Thoreau and feels a strange sense of peace in the solitude of nature. She remembers conversations she’d had with Ash about the limits of friendship, but her thoughts are interrupted by the noise of a nearby walrus, followed shortly by the approach of a polar bear. Nora panics.
A moment alone in nature is something that Nora hasn’t been able to experience in her journey up to this point, and the brief period of quiet reflection begins to change her perspective. As she remembers her philosophy studies and reflects on what’s brought her to this point, she develops her understanding of what makes a good life, and realizes that interpersonal connection isn’t the only thing that matters. Whether or not this moment brings Nora closer to grasping the meaning of life, it gives her a meditative sense of calm before she spots the intruder.
Active
Themes
