Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Unwind, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Inequality, Injustice, and the Law
Anger, Violence, and Radicalization
Activism, Compassion, and Atonement
Morality and Perspective
Summary
Analysis
Risa’s first few days at the Graveyard seem to last forever. She attends a tribunal made up of the Goldens, the Admiral’s five most trusted kids who are in charge of the Graveyard. Risa hates them immediately and hates herself for admitting she’s from a state home. One girl says they don’t need a pianist, and a boy says the kitchen needs help. Risa agrees to wash dishes, and as she turns to leave, she sees that the next boy coming in has a broken and bloody nose. Risa coaches him through stopping the bleeding and the Goldens promote her to be a medic. It’s terrifying at first since Risa has no training, but soon, Risa finds purpose and feels secure. The Admiral is odd, but Risa feels like he gave her the right to exist.
The idea that the Admiral gives Risa back her right to exist speaks to the power of engaging in activism as the Admiral does. He makes it his job to let his charges know that he genuinely wants them to survive and feel like valued members of the community. Risa’s role as a medic further imbues her with a sense of worth and purpose, as her contributions are something that she can feel really make a difference in the health and wellness of the camp. In this way, the Admiral is also teaching the Unwinds how to be a part of a society.
Themes
