All That's Left in the World

One of the primary conflicts throughout All That’s Left in the World is the struggle between community and isolation. Although the boys begin the novel isolated, they quickly learn to trust each other and spend the rest of the novel wholly devoted to each other. However, as they travel south, they face several communities which threaten their safety, forcing them to choose between compromising their morals and potentially endangering themselves for safety—or continuing to travel the dangerous world alone. These communities emphasize the duality that exists with human connection: Although it provides safety in numbers, it creates other dangers with the need for trust and alignment to the values of others. Brown literalizes this tension with gates and keys: Henri’s door opens, Eddie unlocks the Keys’ fence, but Fort Caroline “admits” newcomers only after stripping their autonomy via questionnaires and ration ledgers. At DCA, a binder meant to deliver hope instead delivers truth; in Key Largo, a census finally confirms it—connection can wound or save depending on who holds the records.

The relationship that Andrew and Jamie develop, first friendship and then romance, posits a solution to this conflict between belonging in a group or remaining alone. When Andrew and Jamie are attacked at the cabin by Howard and his group, Jamie marvels at how quickly he has come to care about Andrew.