Death
The theme of death is predominant in the initial sections of the book. The reader is introduced to the protagonist, Robin, who is on the verge of dying of cholera. Robin's entire family in Canton, China, dies from the deadly cholera outbreak. Robin's family is among many others who have died due to inadequate medical attention to control the outbreak.
The government and relevant authorities are doing little to save people's lives. The reader notes that only rich families can access high-quality medical care. Luckily, Robin survives when Professor Lovell rescues him and takes him to England to care for him.
The theme of humanity
The good deeds of the Englishman, Professor Lovell, illustrate humanity and care for others. The professor is not related to Robin but feels sad that a young boy is about to die because no one can take care of him. Professor Lovell is a humane person and an angel because he is a stranger to Robin. When the good professor takes Robin to England, he gives him the best medical care.
In England, Robin lives in Professor Lovell's house. He gets private coaching to learn English and other languages. The professor's plans for Robin are wonderful because he wants the boy in the future to join the Oxford campus to become a translator and subsequently have a bright future. Therefore, the sacrifice of the professor is an act of humility and dedication to serving humanity.
The theme of friendship
Friendship emerges as one of the main themes in the novel because when Robin relocates to England, he finds a new family in the form of friends. Besides living with Professor Lovell, Robin meets Rami and Victoria at Babel, forming a great friendship. Robin and his friends share a lot because they have similar backgrounds and challenges. While working in Babel as translators, Robin and his friends encourage each other to move on and embrace the future. Therefore, through friendship, Robin forgets his painful past, especially the death of his entire family due to the cholera outbreak.
