Shame

As well as being the title of the novel, shame is an important theme. Every character has some relation to shame as an abstract idea, even if they completely reject it. The most pertinent character in this regard is Omar. Throughout Part 1, Omar is taught to feel no shame. His three mothers recuse themselves from society rather than share the identity of his father or reveal which of them actually gave birth to him. Because their lives are shaped so dramatically by the shame that society has placed upon them, they are determined that their son will not feel the same way. As such, the sole condition for his exit from the house in which he spends the first 12 years of his life is that he should never feel shame. Omar immediately accedes to this condition and applies it quite religiously throughout his shameless (and yet very shameful) life of debauchery, abuse, and excess. Whenever other members of society attempt to place shame upon him, he refuses to bear their shame and eventually grows to become one of the most shameless men in the country. Omar’s debauched lifestyle is famous throughout the country, and his inability to feel any shame for his actions becomes an integral part of his character.