Chapter 20 Summary and Analysis – All the Colors of the Dark
Spoiler Notice
This page contains spoilers for Chapter 20 of All the Colors of the Dark. Read on only if you have finished this chapter.
Chapter Summary
Saint stands in her yard at night, gazing at an empty hive. Her mind drifts to a memory from two years earlier, when she and Patch explored the woods at the edge of her family’s land. Patch carved their initials into an oak tree near the graveyard, declaring it something that would last after they were gone. Sant tried to hide her smile, then nervously invited him to her birthday dinner that evening. When he asked about the cake, she described a pirate-themed creation she had spent nearly a week baking and decorating. Delighted, he promised to attend and later arrived with a bottle of apricot schnapps, which he poured for her grandmother with comic flair.
On their hike, the pair pushed through dense nettles onto Tooms’s property. As a rainstorm broke, Patch lay flat on the grass and invited Saint to do the same, claiming that lying under an open sky during rain gave you a better chance of seeing heaven. Side by side, they talked about Saint’s crooked tooth and her name. Patch told her, without hesitation, that she was beautiful. When she asked why she was named Saint, she explained that her grandparents said she was every good thing. Patch agreed entirely and absolutely, his words sealing a promise she would carry into the present moment beside the lifeless hive.
Key Events
- Saint, in the present, observes the empty bee hive that frames the chapter.
- The narrative flashes back two years: Saint and Patch walk through the woods, Patch leading with a wooden cutlass.
- Patch shows Saint the oak tree where he carved their initials, saying the marking will endure.
- Saint asks Patch to her birthday dinner; he asks about the cake.
- She tells him it is a pirate cake, and he enthusiastically accepts the invitation.
- They struggle through nettles into Tooms’s open land.
- Rain begins; Patch lies down with Saint and speaks of seeing heaven.
- Patch assures Saint she is beautiful and reaffirms the goodness of her name.
- The memory closes; Saint remains alone in her yard, the empty hive a stark contrast.
Character Development
Saint
In the memory, Saint is a teenager full of self-consciousness—she bites her lip to hide a smile, worries over her crooked tooth, and fabricates the cake’s origins to downplay her effort. The careful baking reveals her deep feelings for Patch. In the present, her vigil by the empty hive shows how she clings to the past; the memory is both a comfort and a wound.
Patch
Patch emerges as gentle, observant, and quietly romantic. He carves their initials to create something permanent, carries his father’s cologne despite its scent, and lies in the rain seeking glimpses of heaven. His declaration that Saint is “entirely and absolutely” beautiful and good defines him as someone who sees worth where others might overlook it. These small rituals—the cutlass, the schnapps, the affirmation—hint at a boy who treasures connection over material things.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Memory and Time
The empty hive in the present anchors the flashback, making clear that time has taken something vital. The past glows with life and promise, while the present holds absence. The initials carved into the oak represent a wish for permanence in a world that will eventually take that permanence away.
Innocence and Youth
The pirate play—the cutlass, flintlock, and pirate cake—creates a shared fantasy world where the two can escape ordinary life. Their awkward flirtation and Saint’s nervous invitation ground the scene in the universal hesitations of adolescence.
Nature as Witness
The trees are called guardians, and the rain becomes an opening to heaven. Nature frames the memory as something sacred, silently observing the bond between the two young people.
Permanence and Loss
The carved initials embody the longing to leave a mark that outlives them. This motif resonates painfully against the empty hive, which signals extinction or departure. Patch’s father’s cologne, something he keeps despite its association with death, mirrors the same desire to hold onto what is lost.
The Meaning of a Name
Saint’s name defines her in this chapter. Her grandparents saw her as “every good thing,” and Patch reinforces that view. The moment becomes a talisman she holds against whatever sorrows the present has brought.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 20 functions as an emotional cornerstone. By stepping away from the novel’s central mystery and into a sun-drenched memory, Whitaker reminds readers what hangs in the balance. The chapter invests the relationship between Saint and Patch with weight and tenderness, so that every later decision and heartbreak resonates more deeply. The empty hive outside Saint’s window now carries the echo of that rainy afternoon—a symbol not just of what is gone, but of what once hummed with life and promise.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Saint fixate on this particular evening with Patch while staring at the empty hive?
The hive represents loss and stillness, the opposite of the vibrant connection she felt that day. By replaying the memory, Saint both reaffirms that the bond existed and measures how much has changed. The initials in the oak tree promised permanence; the empty hive tells a different story.
2. What does Patch’s use of his deceased father’s cologne suggest about his character?
Patch’s choice to wear the cologne—something his mother might have preferred to bury—shows that he actively preserves links to the past. He is a collector of remnants, finding value in what others might discard. This trait aligns with his later behavior in the novel and underscores his desire to hold onto people and moments.
3. How does the pirate imagery shape the themes of the chapter?
The pirate role-play gives the memory a sense of adventure and escape. The wooden cutlass, flintlock, and pirate cake are props of a private world where the two feel powerful and free. Beneath the play, however, runs a real emotional truth: Patch calls himself a “gentleman corsair” who will bring a gift, and that gallantry mirrors the sincerity with which he treats Saint’s heart.