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
It takes two days for kids to realize that Emby is gone. Everyone suddenly acts like Emby was their best friend and they stage searches for him. Roland uses Emby’s disappearance to scare people into fearing the Admiral, while Connor believes that Roland got rid of Emby after killing the Goldens. Connor shares this with the Admiral, who stays silent. The Admiral knows he can’t play into Roland’s game and doesn’t want to answer Connor’s questions if he tells the truth, so he lets Connor believe Roland did it. Connor leaves and the Admiral thinks of how he can make this situation work for him. His shoulder and arm start to hurt, so he sends for aspirin.
Not telling the truth to anyone about the Goldens or about Emby ends up being a serious mistake for the Admiral , which suggests that while lying and deceit does have its place (the Graveyard’s existence and good work is proof of that), this situation isn’t one of them. Further, denying the other Unwinds the truth means that they become increasingly scared and angry, which the novel will go on to show can lead to disastrous consequences.
Themes
