Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Rent Collector, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Power of Literature
Appearances, Judgment, and Hidden Character
Heroism and Self-Sacrifice
Hope and Action
Humor and Resilience
Summary
Analysis
Sopeap arrives to share a piece of Japanese literature with Sang Ly, but Sang Ly cannot contain herself and yells at Sopeap for concealing her illness. Sopeap claims that she did not want to ruin Sang Ly’s innocent joy in reading and literature, but admits that it may have been a selfish thing to do. She tells Sang Ly that an artery is constricting her heart, and although with more money and in a country with modern medical facilities she might live, she is dying. She found out the day that she almost evicted Sang Ly and Ki, which is part of what made her so angry. Sang Ly wants Sopeap to go home and rest, but Sopeap refuses and insists they will continue the lessons, adding, “I can’t die yet. I’m just starting to like you.”
The knowledge that Sopeap had just learned she was dying on the day she threatened to evict Sang Ly and Ki changes the reader’s perception of her behavior. Sopeap initially seemed like nothing more than a bitter, spiteful old woman, but understanding that she was reeling from the new diagnosis makes her seem rather like a scared individual who does not know how to appropriately handle her own pain and fear, leading her to take these difficult feelings out on others. This further reiterates that one’s initial perception of another person is often not an accurate portrayal of their true character.
Themes
They continue with the lesson, though Sang Ly recognizes small signs of Sopeap’s illness that didn’t stick out to her before. She is still hurt and angry that her teacher did not tell her she was dying, but as she tells Ki about it the evening before, Ki exclaims that if Sopeap isn’t angry about it, then neither should Sang Ly be. Sang Ly realizes it’s selfish for her to be angry that their time together is limited. Bringing her mind back to the lesson, Sopeap promises to bring her favorite book tomorrow.
Although Sang Ly previously provided the voice of reason to Ki’s desire for revenge, Ki now acts as the voice of reason, moderating Sang Ly’s anger and helping her to realize that it is, in a way, selfish. The give-and-take of their relationship demonstrates how two people can be of mutual benefit to each other, helping to point out each other’s blind spots.
Themes
Lena suddenly arrives, screaming, with Nisay in her arms, and says that while she was watching Nisay, he suddenly slumped over and became unresponsive. Sang Ly, terrified, runs home hoping to find Ki, but discovers he is still working somewhere in the dump. She decides she will bring Nisay to the free clinic not far away, but in her hurry, she leaves all the money they have at home. Sang Ly runs to the street and flags a passing taxi driver, who takes her even though he knows she has no money. However, when they reach the clinic, its doors are chained shut; it’s closed for the day. The driver brings her to a glass building and pulls Sang Ly out of the cab. She shrieks at him, thinking he is betraying her, until a nurse touches her arm and she realizes the man brought her to a children’s hospital.
Once again, the contrast between Sang Ly’s literature lessons and Nisay’s present and immediate illness illustrates that for all the good literature can do and the problems it can help to solve, it can seem almost useless in the face of certain pressing issues. Sang Ly’s initial belief that that the taxi driver is abandoning her before realizing he has brought her to the right hospital again nods to the fact that people and their intentions are often not as they first appear.
Themes
The nurse brings Sang Ly inside and takes Nisay from her. When an orderly takes her information and realizes she is from Stung Meanchey, the hospital staff already know she won’t be able to pay, but they treat Nisay anyway. Sang Ly sits against the wall in the waiting room for hours. In the middle of the night Ki arrives, having ran to each hospital in the city trying to find his wife and son. Sang Ly marvels at what a good husband she has.
Although Ki never gets the chance to avenge himself on the gangs, nor ever has the need to fight and defend his family, his faithfulness and support of his wife and son are once again evident. The sacrifices he makes through time, effort, and energy make him seem a heroic figure, regardless of his lack of evident power.
Themes
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In the morning, a doctor eventually meets Sang Ly and Ki in the waiting room and tells them that Nisay was “severely dehydrated,” but is okay now and they are being discharged. He also gives them pills for the Nisay’s diarrhea, but Sang Ly knows they will only be effective for a short time. Together, the three of them make their way back to Stung Meanchey, arriving at noon, and Sang Ly quickly falls asleep.
Sang Ly’s belief that the pills will only help Nisay for a short time is the result of her lived experiences, but even so demonstrate a lack of optimism, suggesting that constant failure and disappointments can make hope a difficult thing maintain.
Themes
Sang Ly again dreams that it is snowing in Stung Meanchey. She sees the same man from her home province in the dream, though this time she feels as if she knew him many years ago. She wakes in the late afternoon and sees that Ki has gone out to the dump to pick trash, and she hopes they will be able to afford more than just rice this evening—she has not eaten since early the day before. Nisay sleeps peacefully, as he always does while on medication.
The repetition of Sang Ly’s dream about snow and the mysterious man confirms to her and the reader that it is a significant event, though it is unclear whether the dream is a message from her Grandfather or other ancestors, or merely her subconscious asserting itself. Within the narrative, what is most important is that the dream revitalizes Sang Ly’s hope.
Themes
Sang Ly rises and begins stoking the fire in their cook stove, which draws her mind back to her home province, and she suddenly realizes from where she knows the man in her dreams. When she was a child, the man was a “witch doctor” in her home village—his name was Bunna Heng, but the villagers just called him “the Healer.” Though she fears she is too late, Sang Ly knows that the dream means she must go see this Healer as soon as possible, because he might be able to cure Nisay.
Although Sang Ly is cynical towards the pill the doctor gave her, her sudden conviction that she must return to her home province to see the Healer demonstrates that she is still holding onto hope and willing to act on it, even when that hope seems unfounded and supported by nothing more than a dream.
Themes
Sang Ly and Ki prepare to travel to Prey Veng together, hiding all their possessions and the clock beneath their floor. They only have enough money for the trip to Prey Veng, and are not sure how they will get home. Sang Ly has not seen Sopeap since before the hospital, and she is anxious to leave without seeing her again, but also anxious to wait any longer. As she and Ki are making their way towards the bus station, Lucky Fat runs up to them and announces that Sopeap is back, and she is coming to see them off. Ki continues onward with Nisay and their suitcases, leaving Sang Ly with Sopeap.
Sang Ly and Ki preparing to travel in spite of not having enough money to return home further demonstrates their strong hope in Sang Ly’s dream and the Healer’s power. Once again, in sacrificing his time and all the money his family has to follow Sang Ly’s dreams, Ki is depicted as very heroic indeed, even without his knife or any substantive power, demonstrating that such power is not necessary to be a hero.
Themes
Noting that Sopeap looks exhausted, Sang Ly asks how she is feeling. With a wry smile, the old woman replies that her “artery feels a bit constricted,” adding that it’s her “new favorite reply.” However, Sopeap admits she is saddened that they won’t finish their literature lessons; there is so much more she wanted to teach Sang Ly, such as the “phoenix story.” Sang Ly answers that they’ll finish when she returns, but Sopeap seems doubtful, saying, “No matter how much we cling to hope, our stories seldom end as we expect.” Sopeap hands Sang Ly a leather-bound book of stories to read during the journey. Hesitantly, Sang Ly asks Sopeap what she thinks happens after a person dies. Sopeap does not know, admitting that for all the literature she’s read, she still does not know what to make of gods or heaven. They bid each other goodbye.
Sopeap’s wry comment suggests that she, too, is trying to maintain her good humor, even though she is dying, demonstrating that a sense of humor can go a long way in helping one cope, even with death. This is particularly important, since Sopeap’s admitted confusion about the afterlife suggests that she finds no comfort there. Even while Sang Ly is about to make an excursion based purely on the hope that the Healer can cure Nisay, Sopeap recognizes that hope can also betray, and that life does not always follow the path one hopes for, tempering the novel’s optimistic depiction of hope thus far.
Themes
