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
It’s not too late to run back to Dad, but Mateo doesn’t want to put people at the hospital at risk. He wants to listen to music, especially since Rufus caught him singing—he wants to listen to “Come What May,” which Mateo’s mom sang to Dad in the shower before her water broke. The boys look both ways before crossing the street. On the other side, there’s a homeless man going through trash bags. Mateo and Rufus look down as the man asks for a dollar. Mateo mutters to Rufus that he wants to give the man money, and he fishes out $18. Rufus asks why, and Mateo responds that this man clearly needs it—but Rufus says that he’s been duped before.
For Mateo, his birth and his life are linked inextricably to his mother’s death—it’s implied that his mom died in childbirth, so now it’s impossible for Mateo to escape the fact that life and death are intimately connected. Meanwhile, though giving this homeless man money might not do much, for Mateo, it’s a way to connect with someone and hopefully to improve this man’s day. Making a choice like this gives Mateo the satisfaction of having his last act potentially be one of kindness.
Themes
Mateo shares that when he was in fifth grade, a guy asked for a dollar, punched him, and stole his lunch money. But Mateo says that he shouldn’t be the judge of who needs help. Rufus parks his bike, fishes out $20, and leads Mateo to the homeless man. He makes Mateo talk. Mateo holds out the cash, assures the skeptical man that this isn’t a trick, and apologizes that it isn’t more. The man hurries to Mateo and hugs him, and Mateo hugs him back. The man reminds him of Dad. The man thanks Mateo and Rufus and walks away. Rufus says that hopefully, karma will reward Mateo. Mateo thinks that people shouldn’t do good things for karma, but says that they did a good thing by not treating the man like he’s invisible. He’s glad Rufus didn’t mention that they’re dying; it would’ve cheapened it.
Especially since the homeless man’s hug reminds Mateo of Dad, this gesture drives home the idea that people aren’t all that different from one another—and all of them, no matter their economic standing or where they live, desire human connection and respect. Mateo gets at this when he suggests that what they really did was make sure this man didn’t feel invisible. This is, in many ways, what Mateo has spent his entire life doing—whether on CountDowners or here with this man, Mateo makes a point to help others feel like they matter and like someone is listening.
Themes
