All That's Left in the World

The multi-tool that Henri gives Andrew and Jamie after they leave her symbolizes survival. It is a simple tool that belonged to Henri’s husband, described by Jamie as having “metal [that] is scuffed and [that] is rusted around a joint,” with “a knife, pliers, screwdriver, and several other implements” inside (137). She gives it to the boys because she feels it would be of better use to them that it is her, as she has all the tools she needs inside her home. From there, the boys carry the tool down to Florida, where they choose to return it to Amy to build her trust and thank her for the help that Henri gave them.

In their most perilous moment in the novel, the tool saves Andrew and Jamie from Rosewood and the other members of Fort Caroline. As they are tied up and likely going to die, Jamie manages to use the tool to cut the ties around his hands. Once free, he is able to untie Andrew, then the two flee into the woods and ultimately survive. This moment emphasizes the theme of The Value of Human Connection in a literal sense. Because they trusted and befriended Henri, the tool that she gave them ultimately saved their lives. Without her, they likely would not have been able to untie themselves or escape.

Broadly speaking, guns in the novel symbolize death. While there is room for ambiguity within their role, as they can serve as self-defense, protection, and active murder, the underlying connection between the different guns in the novel is the death that they cause. They are first introduced in the tense confrontation between Andrew and Jamie that opens the novel. From there, the boys carry their guns with them throughout their journey, using them for protection from danger. Guns reflect the theme of Shifting Morality in the Face of Death: They become a necessity for survival in the changing world despite the fact that they end another’s life. While both main characters struggle with this fact, they also find it necessary to kill others to ensure their own survival. After Andrew kills the Foster family, he grapples with the repercussions of what he did—yet also supports Jamie when he makes the choice to shoot Harvey in their defense. Guns appear with each encounter that the boys face, including with Harold at the cabin, Henri in Bethesda, within the Fort Caroline community, and with the group that they end up with at the novel’s end. Guns exist and become a necessity for everyone, whether they are good (like Henri and the community at the end) or bad (like the leaders of Fort Caroline). In this way, guns reflect the reality of the post-apocalyptic world. Guns, like death, have become not only commonplace, but are also a vital tool to ensure survival.