Imagination as a Survival Tool
Roles You Can Wear in the Dark
Becky has shut him out. Tom goes to the woods and tries on outlaw, soldier, Indian chief, each identity rehearsed until it could be lived. He would rather be an outlaw a year in Sherwood than President forever. The heartbreak is not denied. It is recast as a role with lines.
Key Insight
Imagination here is not a lie about the pain. It is a usable shape for it. Tom survives the afternoon by giving grief a costume that can walk.
“They said they would rather be outlaws a year in Sherwood Forest than President of the United States forever.”Explore full theme analysis
