Famous Last Words
62 pages • 2-hour read
Gillian McAllisterFamous Last Words
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Symbols & Motifs
Dreams
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence and death.
McAllister uses dreams as a motif for the theme of Appearance Versus Reality. As several characters grapple with their internal conflicts over the events of the siege, their true feelings are revealed in their subconscious dreams. Throughout the novel, dreams reveal the reality of the characters in contrast to the appearances they attempt to put on for others.
Niall’s recurring dreams of the events of the siege illustrate his inner turmoil over his perceived failure during the hostage situation. While Niall initially refuses to talk to his therapist and goes to work each day, pretending that he has moved on from Luke’s case, his dreams present the reality of his guilt. His dream is always the same, with Niall “asking for more and more and more time. Maidstone refusing. Niall insisting. Niall holding the released Isabell, her body soft and warm against his. Niall changing his mind, racing into the building, and then—always, always, always—the dream ends with the two shots” (121). Niall’s dream reveals how truly haunted he is by his actions, which shattered his view of himself and his confidence in his ability to do his job, harboring him with guilt for years after.
After Luke reunites with Cam, he confesses the dream that played a key role in the events of the siege. After Luke inadvertently killed Alexander, he tried to return to his normal life. Racked with guilt, he went to Alexander’s funeral, allowing George to identify and pursue him. He explains to Cam that he “had this dream that [he] went to hell. The devil was next to [him], saying [he] was a murderer. A killer. His skin was blood-read, he had a pitchfork—it was… [he] woke up in a panic. [He] had to atone” (307). While Luke attempted to move on from Alexander’s death, he kept up a façade to his wife that everything was fine, trying to convince himself that the death was an accident and he should have no guilt. In reality, he only suppressed the guilt until it manifested itself in his dreams.
Writing and Literature
Writing acts as a motif for comfort, connection, and support throughout the novel. As a literary agent with a ghostwriter husband, writing and literature are central to Cam’s life. She believes strongly in the importance of writing, having built a career out of developing good literature and successful authors. After Luke disappears, she repeatedly turns to reading as a source of comfort. When Cam is in uncomfortable situations, she turns to her work, immersing herself in new authors as a distraction.
Luke uses writing and literature as a way to connect and communicate with Cam—an endeavor that eventually saves his life. The book that he writes and leaves for Cam tells his entire story, allowing Cam to connect the dots of what happened and acquit him. As Cam explains, “At the heart of this mystery was a book that solved everything for her, the way they always do. A story that made sense of the chaos of life. All sides of it, written down in her husband’s careful hand” (304). Literature serves as both a literal and figurative guide for Cam, giving her direction at the most difficult times in her life.
Luke’s Gun
The gun Luke uses during the hostage situation symbolizes the destruction of the life that Cam has built with him. When the officers begin interviewing Cam about Luke, she fixates on the fact that she has a gun. She thinks, “A gun. A gun. A gun. […] Sieges and guns kept in house and police ransacking her nursery. Cam can hardly stand it. Twinned with this comes anger, maternal anger burning bright. How could he do this?” (49). Although several things devastate Cam about Luke’s actions, the thing that she fixates on is the gun, as it confirms his culpability in the events and shatters her illusion that there is some mix-up or mistake. Ultimately, Luke’s gun conveys the theme of Appearance Versus Reality. While it looks as though it affirms his guilt, the reality is that the gun was never his—reaffirming Cam’s belief that he is a good person.
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