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
Vianne travels with Gaëtan as far as the border, but once there she can go no further. Before she leaves Isabelle in Gaëtan’s care, the two of them have a conversation. Gaëtan admits that he loves Isabelle, although he doesn’t want Isabelle to know that. Additionally, Vianne expresses that she wishes she hadn’t fought so much with her younger sister. At this point, all that matters to Vianne is Isabelle’s health and safety. She tells Gaëtan to take good care of Isabelle and to warn her that she needs to start being more careful.
Here the novel once again addresses the theme of love and war. Gaëtan knows the negative cost of falling in love during wartime and that if he lets Isabelle into his life romantically, losing her will hurt so much more. Meanwhile, past regrets plague Vianne. She still never has had the chance to tell Isabelle how much she loves her. Instead, every time she sees Isabelle, they end up fighting.
Themes
Meanwhile, Isabelle dreams of fire accompanied by the sad song of a nightingale. She also sees a prince in a forest, as well as a wolf. For a moment, Isabelle thinks she feels Gaëtan’s presence and starts to awaken from her slumber. However, she realizes that this cannot be because she is perpetually alone. This false realization sends her back into deep sleep.
In her dreams, Isabelle hears the bird, which symbolizes herself. The nightingale's sad song foreshadows something tragic in Isabelle's future, as nightingales are associated with tragedy in the literary tradition. However, at least for the moment, Isabelle is not alone. Instead, she is with someone who loves her deeply, which is more than can be said for many people during this tragic time in history.
Themes
Back in Carriveau, Vianne contemplates Beck’s death. She now knows what it feels like to take a man’s life, and it has left her traumatized. Vianne knows that she could have simply chosen to betray Isabelle, but she couldn’t bring herself to make that choice. As Vianne contemplates her actions, Sophie walks in. Vianne reminds Sophie that if the Nazis come for Vianne, then she is to wait three days before going to a convent for safety.
In some ways, Vianne's situation is the opposite of her sister's. Although Beck was not her lover, he fulfilled a similar role in her life as Gaëtan does in Isabelle's. Here, Vianne realizes that in war, she must sometimes make impossible choices. Neither choice is morally correct, so she must use her intuition to determine the best outcome, even if neither is ideal.
Themes
Right after her conversation with Sophie, Vianne hears a loud knock at the door. She opens it to find two Nazi soldiers who have come to question her about Beck. Vianne tells them that she has not seen Beck lately and simply assumed that he was away on official business. The soldiers hear noises upstairs and ask who is there. Vianne explains that her children are upstairs and tells the soldiers that they can go up if they wish. However, she warns them that Ari is sick and implies that he might be contagious. One of the soldiers goes upstairs anyway but comes back down before long.
Not long after Beck's disappearance, Vianne is already in trouble. Although it is unlikely that the Nazis will be able to prove anything, at the very least, Vianne is now under their watchful eye. This presents a particular danger for Ari, which is why Vianne tries to keep the soldiers away from him.
Themes
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The other soldier, Von Richter, tells Vianne that she is required to come into town for questioning. Vianne does as he asks. Ultimately, the questioning is not too harsh. Von Richter warns Vianne not to lie to him, but Vianne does so anyway, and Von Richter seems to believe her lies. Additionally, Von Richter informs Vianne that he will be coming to live with her now that Beck is gone.
Von Richter is a much more intimidating figure than Beck, and Vianne knows that she could lose her life if she crosses him.
Themes
Vianne leaves Von Richter’s office and starts to make her way home. However, almost immediately, she spots a French policeman trying to arrest Madame Fournier and her son. Vianne tries to intervene, but it quickly becomes apparent that there is nothing she can do. The scene is especially upsetting to Vianne because it means that the Nazis are now coming for Jewish people who were born in France, like Ari.
Everywhere she goes, Vianne spots injustice all around her. At this point, the Nazis are rounding up any Jewish people they can find. Although Vianne still does not know what is happening in the Nazi camps, she knows that the lives of her Jewish friends and family are in grave danger.
Themes
At home, Vianne tells Sophie about Von Richter. Vianne warns Sophie that Von Richter is not as kind as Beck and that she must stay clear of him as much as possible. Additionally, she warns Sophie to be extra careful not to reveal Ari’s true identity. To do so would mean the death of their entire family. Just as Vianne finishes up her warnings to Sophie, Von Richter arrives.
Here, Vianne must once again break bad news to Sophie. At this point, Sophie is used to hearing bad news and does her best to take it in stride. Although Vianne has tried to shelter Sophie, she knows that that is no longer an option with Von Richter in the house.
Themes
