The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

The six bolts of silk—although imaginary—are a motif that explores the theme of The Power and Risk of Choosing Love and Family. The entire plot is arguably controlled by these bolts—at least according to Monkey’s telling of it—since Samir’s “bargain” for his life sets into motion Monkey’s quest to repay him and earn his freedom. Ultimately, however, the bolts do not exist. They never did exist in the first place; Samir tricks the monks into freeing Monkey and providing for him on a false premise. In doing so, he puts a high value on Monkey’s life, highlighting, before they even knew each other, the lengths he was willing to go to for the young boy. Monkey spends much of the book confused about the value of a human life, but the six bolts of silk ultimately show that love and family help define the undefinable. Samir puts a price on Monkey’s life because that is the language of the world they live in—that of merchants, trading, and money—but by utilizing goods that do not exist, he defines Monkey’s life as valuable beyond definition. The fluid worth of the bolts is clear in the chapter where Samir tells Monkey he can earn a bolt simply by coming into the teahouse and screaming; this showcases Samir’s kindness and simultaneous recognition that Monkey might not want to stay with him like he wants. Monkey cannot pay Samir back because Samir does not truly believe he needs to; by the end of the book, they love one another enough to understand that the exchange of the six bolts is a metaphor for their desire to stay together as a family.