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Book 1, Chapter 7
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Son, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Pain and Maternal Love
Travel, Fitting In, and Values
Emotion, Individuality, and the Human Experience
Family and Coming of Age
Community and Sacrifice
Summary
Analysis
Nearly everyone attends the Ceremony each year. This year, though, Claire doesn’t, as she’s left in charge of the Hatchery. As a Vessel, she didn’t attend the last two years, either. She doesn’t care about missing it. She’d want to be there if Abe was getting a family, but she doesn’t care about the other newchildren. She doesn’t care about the Matching of Spouses, though she wonders if she’s eligible to apply for a spouse now that she’s no longer a Birthmother. It’s near noon now; the rituals for each age group of children will begin soon. The Sevens will get jackets that button in front, while the Tens will get haircuts. The Ceremony of Twelve won’t happen until tomorrow—this is when children get their Assignments. Claire studies the supply boat in the river. She wonders about the crew, something she’s never done before.
Note that while Claire has done something really adult by being pregnant and having a baby, and while she’s functionally a single working adult, she still isn’t certain if she can participate in all adult milestones, like getting a spouse. This begins to imply that perhaps Claire can’t really come of age here—she’ll always exist in a state of limbo. Her interest in the river and in the supply boat point to an increasing desire to know what else is out there and what life’s like for other people, foreshadowing a possible escape from this community.
Themes
