The lastling | Themes

Becoming Independent

Represented through

• Independence of Paris from Uncle Franklin’s influence and becoming a good human being (she was not happy at the end when Uncle Franklin implied that she was like him as she did the yeh-teh to escape).
• Forced independence of Tahr from Shengo as he died. He followed the monks teachings every after his death and became a good person as he made the right decision to help the yeh-teh and Paris.
• Geng-sun’s forced independence from the mother as she was wounded and Geng-sun was just captured. She took care of herself and of Tahr and Paris when they were both caught by the rebels and when they were in the jungle.
  • Journey was used according to its literal meaning and in the form of irony.
  • A journey is started from one point and ended at a different point. From ‘Airport.......... to the mountains.’ This was Paris’s real journey. Her second journey was that she had always idolized Uncle Franklin, till she finally saw his true colours. It also refers to the title of Chapter # 5 ‘The Other Side of Somewhere.’ Page # 37
  • Tahr’s real journey started from the gompa and back to the village. He also had a spiritual journey in which he understood the real meaning of Shengo’s teaching, the different stages of the ‘Wheel of Life’.
  • In a journey, you have to face consequences if you want to reach your destination, the end. These help the characters to be brave and resilient. Like Paris and Tahr faced a lot of difficulties and then they finally reached the end. This journey was full of compassion, humor and unobtrusive thoughtfulness which really showed that ‘life on the edge’ really meant.
  • Journey also refers to the journey on the wheel of life, which each and every character was facing. Like Shengo said, ‘Turning on the wheel of life’. Journeying to the next stage on page # 225.
  • ‘A journey’ said Shengo. This part refers to the start of Tahr’s real journey.
  • ‘Trembling, falling, slipping and frightened’. This part refers to Tahr’s feelings about the journey and the consequences he was facing.
  • The journey resembled Geng-sun’s journey. From the cave to the Ice Fortress. She started it from one place and ended it at a different place.
  • ‘When you are enlightened you can come back and teach me’. These words were said by Shengo, which is giving a clear hint about the fact that Tahr was going to go on a journey and that journey would change him forever. This journey was around the wheel of life which helped Tahr to become enlightened.

  • Journey

• The theme of the novel which we presented was ‘journey’. This refers to the character’s journey, which each of them faced. Journey is used as a metaphor for the character’s real journey and it also is an important part for the development of the novel.