Previous
Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Great Alone, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Trauma and Violence
Paranoia and the Vietnam War
Isolation
Family and Community
Death and Grief
Coming of Age
Summary
Analysis
The evening of Leni’s graduation, she has a conversation with her mother about her future. She tells Cora that she’s been accepted into college and Cora is overjoyed. Cora tells Leni that she will make sure Leni can go to college, no matter what. However, she also warns Leni not to see Matthew until she leaves for college. Otherwise, they risk angering Ernt, which could hurt Leni’s chance of going to school.
Cora is genuinely excited that her daughter has a chance for a better life. She knows that this is an opportunity to get Leni away from her father and out of harm’s way. However, once again, the warnings begin, and by now, a clear pattern is established for what happens to people who don’t heed them.
Themes
The following months are painful for Leni. While Ernt continues to build his barricade, Leni spends her time longing for Matthew. She worries about whether she will actually make it to college and tortures herself by questioning whether Matthew still loves her. One day, just a few weeks before Leni leaves for college, Ernt tells Leni that he and Cora are going to Sterling for a day. He gives Leni a list of instructions for while they’re gone and tells her to be careful. As Cora is leaving, she warns Leni not to see Matthew, a warning which Leni ignores.
When Leni thinks about Matthew, her thoughts become illogical. It is obvious that Matthew still loves her, and she knows that she will see him soon, yet she feels that she must see him anyway. Once again, a warning is given and ignored, which can lead to no good.
Themes
Leni clocks the amount of time it would take for her parents to depart on the ferry and then rides her bike to Matthew’s house. She finds Matthew and tells him that they can spend the whole day together. Matthew is overjoyed and before long he takes his boat to the edge of Leni’s property. The two of them have a picnic together and beginning kissing. Before they can go any further, rain begins to fall, and they run inside together. Leni throws off her wet clothes, and then she and Matthew have sex for the first time. Afterwards, they express their love for one another, and Leni tells Matthew that she feels safe with him. However, in the back of her mind, Leni is still thinking about what will happen to Cora if she leaves for college.
Even while being careless, Leni manages to be methodical by watching the time after her parents’ departure. The time she spends with Matthew marks yet another important moment for her coming-of-age journey, as the two of them have sex for the first time. However, even while she is with Matthew, Leni cannot help but think about the consequences of her actions and feel threatened by her father..
Themes
