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
Isabelle and Gaëtan travel to Bayonne and openly behave as a couple on vacation so as not to attract attention from the German soldiers. At one point, they reach a roadblock where they learn that the Nazis are taking over the Free Zone. Luckily, Isabelle and Gaëtan make it through the roadblock without much issue, but they know that Isabelle’s life has just become more dangerous. If the Nazis are taking over the Free Zone, then it will be easier for them to patrol Isabelle’s route through the Pyrenees.
Again, Isabelle's risk factor increases, which only worries Gaëtan more. He has finally consummated his relationship with Isabelle, and now it feels like she could be taken away from him at any moment. However, Isabelle knows the risks and does nothing to change her behavior.
Themes
Isabelle and Gaëtan make it to Madame Babineau’s cottage. There, they find three pilots waiting for the Nightingale to escort them. Madame Babineau catches Isabelle up to speed and hands her a letter from Henri that gives a status update on Vianne. After observing Isabelle and Gaëtan’s body language, Madame Babineau quickly realizes that they are in love and tells them to be careful—she knows that love is dangerous in a time like this. In the evening, Gaëtan breaks some bad news to Isabelle. He tells her that he will be leaving to join a militant group where he will be setting explosives. Although he thinks that this is the right thing to do, he is sad that he won’t see Isabelle again for quite some time, if ever. Isabelle understands and tells Gaëtan to do what he has to do.
Because Isabelle was out of commission for a while, several pilots are already waiting for her when she returns to Madame Babineau's cottage. Madame Babineau gives Isabelle and Gaëtan the same advice that others have given them before: love can cause more harm than good during wartime. Most likely, Gaëtan knew that he would be leaving to join the militant group, which is why he was hesitant to act on his feelings for Isabelle.
Themes
In Carriveau, Vianne tracks down Henri and asks him if he can get identity papers for the child she rescued. Henri tells Vianne that he can help her and that she reminds him of Isabelle. In response, Vianne says that she is not brave like Isabelle. However, Henri disagrees and says that Isabelle would be proud of her.
Vianne knows Henri because he was there the night Beck died. Although that was a tragic night for Vianne, she now has an ally who can help her with her new operation. Also, Henri kindly gives Vianne some words of encouragement she desperately needs.
Themes
Several days later, Vianne goes into town to collect the identity papers from Henri. Henri hides the papers in a loaf of bread so that no one will see them. He also tells Vianne to come back any time she needs more papers. Vianne promises that she will and then walks home. On her way, she runs into Von Richter, who insists on carrying her breadbasket for her. Vianne is worried about what will happen if Von Richter finds the papers, so she starts coughing and pretends to be ill. Not wanting to get sick, Von Richter rudely gives the basket back to Vianne and makes her carry it herself. Additionally, Von Richter informs Vianne that he will not be eating dinner with her.
Vianne's actions here are not unlike Isabelle's at the beginning of the book. Her new job is regularly going into town and collecting illicit papers for the good of the resistance. However, in this case, Vianne is distributing new identities to Jewish children who desperately need them to stay alive rather than distributing pamphlets. Luckily, Von Richter is too self-absorbed to catch on to what Vienne is doing.
Themes
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Because Von Richter is not around, Vianne uses the evening to fill in the identity papers. Additionally, she creates a record where she can keep track of all the children who were separated from their parents during the war. She knows that such a file will be important when the war is over if the children ever hope to be reunited with their parents.
Again, Von Richter's absence proves useful for Vianne, and she uses the time wisely. In this scene, Vianne expresses a similar level of foresight as Isabelle. Her list is an excellent idea that will indeed be necessary once the war ends.
Themes
