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Part Three: Chapter 6
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Voyage in the Dark, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Homesickness, Memory, and Belonging
Sexism, Love, and Power
Race and Identity
Money and Happiness
Summary
Analysis
In the moments before having the abortion, Anna tries to speak French with Mrs. Robinson, who will be performing the procedure. Laurie has assured her that Mrs. Robinson is extremely smart, but Anna is still nervous. She asks if Mrs. Robinson will stop if it starts to hurt too much, and Mrs. Robinson assures her that she will. In the middle of the procedure, though, she doesn’t listen when Anna asks her to stop. Eventually, the procedure is over, and Mrs. Robinson tells her she’ll be all right in two or three weeks. But Anna still has to recover from the procedure. For this reason, she’s not supposed to be alone that night, but Laurie won’t stay with her.
Anna’s utter isolation in England is on full display after she gets an abortion and can’t find anyone willing to stay with her. Although Laurie is her friend and seems to care about her on some level, she can’t be bothered to make sure Anna is all right, most likely because she doesn’t want anyone associating her with a young woman who has had an abortion, since the procedure was illegal at this time (the early 20th century). Consequently, Anna has no choice but to endure whatever happens on her own.
Themes
