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
The Admiral’s jet is “impenetrable”—inside, Risa doesn’t think the Admiral looks well. Outside, the kids not attacking the jet begin to destroy everything else in the Graveyard with a mixture of fury and odd joy. Cleaver sees the smoke rising and feels drawn to it. He flies the helicopter closer, lands, and the Unwinds notice him. They race toward him.
In the eyes of the Unwinds, adults are dangerous. They’re the ones with all the power, as it’s adults who released them to be unwound in the first place. This is why they wanted to hurt the Admiral and now, is why they want to hurt Cleaver. This is, again, something entirely understandable, especially since it points to how vulnerable and at risk so many teens in the novel’s world are.
Themes
