Leaving

A central theme of this story is "leaving." The story follows the day prior to the departure of the narrator from his native Barbados to go to school in Canada. He mentions repeatedly that he is "leaving" the island of Barbados. The story focuses on the various implications for the narrator of "leaving" his home. Out of guilt, he goes to visit his dying father the day before he leaves. He is also leaving his girlfriend, Cynthia. Although she insists that he write every day, and that they should have run off to get married, and that she will be at the airport to see him off, her promises are hollow. She doesn't even show up at the airport to say goodbye to him. So leaving the island means not only abandoning his poor, dying father, but also forfeiting his relationship with Cynthia.

"Leaving" also functions symbolically in...