Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in They Both Die at the End, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Mortality, Life, and Meaning
Human Connection and Social Media
Choices and Consequences
Friendship and Chosen Family
Business, Ethics, and Dehumanization
Summary
Analysis
Delilah writes Howie Maldonado’s obituary. From Howie, she learned that life is about balances. She’s pretty sure she won’t die today, but she still has two hours until midnight. She sits at a café across from Althea Park, where she first met Victor. She hasn’t called Victor, even though these could be her final hours. Delilah pulls out her engagement ring and spins it on the table, ultimately deciding to call Victor. She hopes that he’s messing with her and wonders if employees get to decide who dies. Maybe Victor decided her time was up because he’s heartbroken.
The way that Delilah focuses on how she might only have two hours to live suggests that she’s starting to take it seriously that she might die—and it’s possible that she’s regretting how she spent her last day. Even if Delilah decides she regrets it, though, it’s important to keep in mind that she gave Howie the opportunity to speak the truth and be his true self for his fans. Like Mateo, Howie got to die as the person he wanted to be.
Themes
