Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Nightingale, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Morality and Impossible Choices
Antisemitism and Active Resistance
Gender Roles
Love and War
Summary
Analysis
Luckily, Isabelle does not have to cross the mountains to get back to France. Instead, she is able to take a train. Doing so doesn’t attract attention, and Isabelle has no problem making it back to Paris. On the train ride home, Isabelle is proud of herself. She feels that she has finally matured and done something meaningful with her life. Back in Paris, Isabelle thinks that Gaëtan is following her, although she is never able to spot him. She loves Gaëtan and wants to be with him, but she knows that love could get her killed.
The novel glosses over the details that allow Isabelle to travel freely back to France. However, her connections with the resistance and her gender make it possible. Isabelle correctly identifies her trip as a crucial step in her maturation process. Additionally, her reunion with Gaëtan is yet another step in her coming-of-age journey. Now that she is a fully grown woman, she is looking for romance.
Themes
Meanwhile, back in Carriveau, Vianne is having a difficult winter. She has almost run out of food, and there is no wood left to burn for warmth. Beck has been away, so Vianne has no guarantee that she will have resources to take care of Sophie. Although Beck’s presence can be uncomfortable, Vianne prefers it when he is around. Desperate, Vianne takes her mother’s pearls from Isabelle’s secret stash and pawns them off so she can buy food. At this point, Vianne realizes that Isabelle was completely right when she decided to make the stash under the barn. She is angry with herself for being so hard on her sister.
Isabelle feels good about herself while Vianne continues to struggle for survival. Although Beck promised to take care of Vianne and Sophie, there is only so much he can do while he’s away. Although Isabelle is not around to see it, Vianne finally begins to forgive her sister for her reckless behavior.
Themes
One day, Vianne wakes up and feels ill. Nonetheless, she decides to take Sophie to church, where they hear a sermon about community and resilience. On the way home from church, Vianne’s illness overtakes her, and she falls to the ground outside of her home. Moments later, Beck arrives and takes Vianne into the house. Then, he orders Sophie to fetch Rachel. Beck realizes that Vianne is sick because she has been giving all of her food to Sophie. Together, Beck and Rachel convince Vianne to eat so that she will survive. Vianne’s illness makes her sleep for a few days. However, while she is asleep, Beck stays by her side and takes care of her.
Vianne pushes herself to her physical limits until she literally collapses. Luckily, Beck returns just in time to help Vianne. Otherwise, who knows what would have become of her and Sophie. Although he is not perfect, Beck’s actions suggest that he may be what he claimed to be all along: a good man on the wrong side of the war.
Themes
In Paris, Isabelle continues helping airmen escape to Spain. The airmen regularly flirt with her; she is a sight for sore eyes, especially for the men who do not have a wife back home. Isabelle speaks with the airmen to verify their identities and to discuss the escape route. The men find that Isabelle’s presence is a great boost for morale.
Isabelle is the first female face that many of the RAF pilots have seen in months. Her feminine energy helps them survive what is otherwise the most unpleasant situation of their lives.
Themes
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Spring finally arrives, and Vianne spends a good deal of time in the garden. Although the weather is better, the Nazis have only grown worse. Not long after the start of spring, Sarah shows up at Vianne’s house and asks her if she will talk to Rachel. Sarah knows something is wrong, but she is not sure what. Vianne heads to Rachel’s house immediately to check on her friend.
As always, Vianne stops what she is doing and immediately moves to help her best friend. Throughout the novel, Rachel exhibits strength, meaning that something must be deeply wrong if Sarah is summoning Vianne for help.
Themes
Vianne arrives at Rachel’s house to find her friend distraught. Rachel explains that she is upset because she was given yellow stars that she and her children are expected to wear because they are Jewish. Rachel doesn’t want to explain to Sarah why she must wear the star, but she knows she has to. She calls Sarah into the room, and Sophie comes in with her. Rachel then tells Sarah that she must wear the yellow star from now on. Not wanting her friend to feel singled out, Sophie offers to wear a star as well. However, Rachel tells Sophie that she cannot. Watching this interaction fills Vianne with sadness.
The Nazis’ antisemitism intensifies and creates more serious repercussions for the Jewish people of Carriveau. The stars single out Jewish people so the Nazis can identify them at a moment’s notice. Rachel worries about the implications of the star but knows she must force Sarah to wear one anyway; the war leaves her with no other option but to put her child in danger.
Themes
