Previous
Chapter 22
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
September arrives and Leni decides against going to college. She listens to the radio every day for updates on Matthew’s condition, until one day Tom tells her that Matthew is being moved to a rehabilitation center in Homer. Leni tells Cora she is going to see him. When Ernt protests, Leni looks at her mother and says, “Mama. Tell him if he wants to stop me, he’ll have to shoot me.” Knowing she’s serious, Ernt does not stand in her way. However, he does insist that Cora stay with him.
Leni’s lack of respect for her father, as well as her need to see Matthew, lead to her making bold, but dangerous, decisions. Though even Ernt is not willing to go so far as to shoot his daughter, Leni puts her physical safety in jeopardy by speaking to him in such a manner. However, Ernt does make sure that he maintains some leverage over Leni by insisting that Cora stay put.
Themes
A few days later, Leni makes her way to the rehabilitation center where she finds Tom. Tom tells her that it sometimes appears that Matthew is doing better, although it is hard for Leni to tell; the bandages have been removed from Matthew’s head to reveal a face covered in scars, and there is what looks like a small cage around his head. When Leni tries to talk to Matthew, his eyes roll back in his head, and he makes incoherent noises. After failing to talk to Matthew, Leni and Tom step out of the room, where Tom gives Leni a birthday present Matthew prepared for her before his fall. Leni tucks the present into her coat. Tom also urges Leni to go to college, although she refuses; she believes doing so would amount to abandoning Matthew.
Matthew, once a handsome young man, now barely appears human. Whatever fairy tale ending was once in play for Matthew and Leni no longer exists, and Leni feels hopeless. However, just as Matthew would not leave her, Leni refuses to leave him, even if it means she must continue living with her father.
Themes
When she returns to Kaneq, Leni stops in Marge’s store and breaks down crying. She explains to Marge that she just saw Matthew and Marge comforts her. While in the store, Leni feels as though she might throw up and tells Marge that she’s experienced a lot of nausea lately. Marge looks at her knowingly and then hands her a pregnancy test, throwing Leni’s life into even more disarray.
Despite how much Leni has matured, there are still ways in which she is very much a child. She does not even entertain the thought of pregnancy before Marge suggests it. However, if Leni is pregnant, there will be ramifications. Like her mother, Leni will be a teenage parent with nowhere to turn. Her father will not approve of her carrying Matthew’s child and will presumably react violently.
Themes
Leni returns home and takes the pregnancy test. It comes back positive. Feeling scared and alone, Leni talks to her mother; she tells Cora about her visit with Matthew and her pregnancy. Shocked at the news, Cora tells Leni that she needs to find a way to leave Kaneq. However, before the conversation can go any further, Ernt arrives. He asks Leni, “How is the kid? Still a vegetable?” This angers Leni so much that she immediately blurts out that she is pregnant with Matthew’s child. In response, Ernt punches her hard in the face and then begins beating her with a belt. Before he can do too much damage, Cora shoots him twice in the back.
Once again, Cora knows Leni is in a dangerous situation and wants to help her leave. Leni does not want to abandon Matthew but knows what could happen to her if she stays near her father. However, the situation escalates rapidly, and Leni makes the decision to tell Ernt the truth out of anger. For the first time, Ernt is abusive to Leni, and seeing her daughter being hurt, Cora finally draws a line in the sand. Ultimately, Cora won’t leave Ernt, but she can kill him.
Themes
Get the entire The Great Alone LitChart as a printable PDF.
